Humility is not natural for us human beings. It must be developed. Acts of humility must be intentionally planned and carried out consistently until they become natural.
Psalm 37 is a great example of humility.
Psalm 37:3-9 (NIV) 3 “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”
“ Trust in the Lord” “ Do good.” “ Dwell in the land.” “ Cultivate faithfulness.” “ Delight yourself in the Lord.” “ Commit your ways to the Lord.” “ Be still before the Lord.” “ Trust also in Him.” “ He will do it. He will bring forth…” “ Rest in the Lord.” “ Wait patiently for Him.” “ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath.” “ Do not fret.” “ But the humble will inherit the earth.” “ Better the little that the righteous have.” “ Steps…are established by the Lord.” “…the Lord is the One who holds his hand.” “ Depart from evil and do good. “The love of his God is in his heart.” “ Wait for the Lord and keep His way.” “….they take refuge in Him.”
Isaiah 66:2 (ESV) All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word”.
God offers unusual blessings and usefulness to the humble-hearted. – Isaiah 57:15 (NIV) “For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Humility enables us to hear and heed the Word of God. – 1 Peter 2:2 (NKJV) “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby”
James 1:21 (NLT) “So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.”
The Word of God confronts and challenges us at many points. The proud heart resists this. It makes us defensive and combative as the Word pierces us. But the humble heart agrees with the Word, submits to it and acts based on it.
A humble heart gives us reason to expect revival – Isaiah 57:15 (NLT) “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.”