What Does it Mean to Humble Yourself? (2023)

FAQs

What it means to humble yourself? ›

idiom. : to do or say something which shows that one knows one has been wrong, has behaved with too much pride, etc. He needs to humble himself and ask for their forgiveness.

By having a more down-to-earth view of yourself, you will be able to relate more to others. An arrogant self-centered person may see others as beneath them, not worth the time or effort. A humble person might see those same people not as those beneath them, but as those in need.

It's the positioning of your heart to be open to His Word. It's taking the focus off of yourself and focusing on what really matters – God! Come to the cross with a clear conscience. Confess your sins to the Lord, give up whatever is burdening you, and be willing to leave it at the cross.

To be humble does not mean to have a low opinion of yourself, but rather to have an accurate one and to put your accomplishments into perspective. For example, it means acknowledging that you are smart but not all-knowing or have power but are not omnipotent.

Truly humble people keep quiet about their accomplishments and the good things they do. Humble can also mean "low in station or quality." If you come from a humble background, you didn't grow up wealthy, and if you live in a humble apartment, it isn't overly grand or showy.

A humble person does not flaunt their wealth, status, accomplishments, or anything else they may have. They are modest and often embarrassed by praise. Instead of being proud of themselves, a humble person will be happy for others who deserve the credit.

To be humble is to recognize gratefully our dependence on the Lord—to understand that we have constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgment that our talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness, timidity, or fear; it is an indication that we know where our true strength lies.

What are examples of not being humble? ›

Examples of false humility include deflecting praise we truly deserve, fishing for compliments to draw attention to ourselves, “humble-bragging” (talking about how humble we are), falsely portraying helplessness or a lack of power, and self-deprecating humor.

This means don't either elevate or negate yourself in respect to others; judge yourself according to your own standards, independently of the accomplishments of others. The opposite of humble is great/magnanimous (not bragging).

He taught them a parable and then said, “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11; see also Luke 18:14).

Matthew 23:8-12

The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Humility is a grace that attracts more grace. Pride closes the door to spiritual growth, but humility opens the door of your life to more of God's grace. To the humble, God gives patience, and peace, and gentleness. The fruit of the Spirit grows in the soil of humility. Humility is the key to spiritual growth.

Heart humility does not require reserve or timid postures in our interactions with others, but rather a quietness in our being, a quiet knowingness of who we are. Heart humility is being honest with ourselves and others, and expressing our gratitude and respect for all involved.

Humble people resist the urge of always wanting to be right. They're willing to admit error when they are wrong, they allow others to save face when they're right, and they don't take things personally. They are masters of letting go and moving on. This is their secret to enjoying life.

Let's look at it another way. A person who lacks humility is arrogant. It is a person who only thinks of themselves and sees themselves as higher and better than others. There is no room for an arrogant person to improve themselves because they do not recognize their flaws.

What is humble vs humility? ›

Humbleness and humility both refer to the quality of being modest. While humbleness can also mean the state of being or feeling low in rank, as in The humbleness of his upbringing accustomed him to living simply, humility only refers to having a modest opinion of oneself.

One indication that arrogance, rather than humility, dominates is how and when people speak the real truth. People who use anger, bitterness, or feeling offended as fuel to speak the real truth are arrogant, not humble. They're more concerned for themselves than others.

vain. chesty. self-assertive. dominant. high-and-mighty.

In Chasing Humility, he helps you explore eight essential aspects of humility in the life of a Christian: authenticity, confidence, gratitude, love, praise, empowerment, mentoring, and breaking barriers.

Humility is proven to be a powerful personality trait. It can boost work performance, improve the quality of our relationships, and even support mental wellbeing in the face of adversity. By being humble, we are better able to celebrate the successes of others without feeling jealous or resentful of their progress.

Walking Humbly With God Means Letting Him Teach Us What Is Good. Jesus brought together loving God and loving neighbors in Matthew 22. He communicated his expectation and desire for us, his deeply loved children, to treat each other fairly and with kindness — with justice and mercy.

You'll end up being a follower, rather than a leader

Being overly humble can result in you becoming a follower, rather than a leader. Constantly being soft-spoken, letting others dictate decisions with their input, or not fully utilizing your abilities to provide value, can all lead to you taking a backseat.

Humility is sometimes referred to as the quiet virtue or the quiet strength. Rightfully so, as humility involves thinking less of ourselves and the noisy internal “ego” in our head and quietly focusing on others.

Is being silent humble? ›

Humility – for both male and female leaders — is not about being silenced. The definition of humility is: the feeling or attitude that you have no special importance that makes you better than others; lack of pride. True humility is about not trying to be the Most Important Person in the room.

Truly humble people think well of themselves and have a good sense of who they are, but they also are aware of their mistakes, gaps in their knowledge, and imperfections. Most importantly, they are content without being a center of attention or getting praised for their accomplishments.

Humility does not imply low self-esteem. If confidence is often faked by positive affirmations about yourself, humility is not created through negative ones. Humility is simply about focusing on the unknown rather than the known.

Abigail is a lesser-known heroine in the Bible, a humble woman who was married to a wealthy scoundrel. Abigail combined her wisdom with her wealth to appear before an approaching enemy to plead for the safety of her husband's household.

Jesus humbled himself even further in this life that he, even though he has all might and power and sovereignty, in obedience to the Father and because he loved the world suffered and died on a cross in the ultimate display of shame and humiliation.

The Bible defines humility as “the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 22:4). Its etymological root is in the Latin word "humus" meaning "of the earth." To be humble is to be face down in the dirt, submitting to the authority of another, without personal pride. This is the Christian's proper position before the Lord.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will heal their land."

Humility is a grace that attracts more grace. Pride closes the door to spiritual growth, but humility opens the door of your life to more of God's grace. To the humble, God gives patience, and peace, and gentleness. The fruit of the Spirit grows in the soil of humility.

Humility is an attitude of spiritual modesty that comes from understanding our place in the larger order of things. It entails not taking our desires, successes, or failings too seriously.

How do I know if I am humble? ›

A humble person does not flaunt their wealth, status, accomplishments, or anything else they may have. They are modest and often embarrassed by praise. Instead of being proud of themselves, a humble person will be happy for others who deserve the credit.

2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)

if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Never humble yourself, especially when you do it to make others feel better about themselves. In fact, don't compare yourself with others. This means don't either elevate or negate yourself in respect to others; judge yourself according to your own standards, independently of the accomplishments of others.

Given this background, it is stunning to read about Christ in Philippians 2:8 — in perhaps one of the most striking assertions in all the Scriptures: “he humbled himself.” God himself, fully divine and fully human in the person of his Son, humbled himself.