12 Steps of Humility :: Avoid Excessive Laughter

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT'S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our heart God will raise it to heaven. ~ St. Benedict 

Because of the rule of silence this flood of silliness cannot be aired, so it squeezes itself out from [her] tight lips in guffaws of laughter. ~ Bernard of Clairvoux

THE TENTH STEP OF HUMILITY: A monk is not given to ready laughter.

A fool raises [her] voice when [she] laughs. ~ Sirach 21:20

Today's humor leaves much to be desired. The stand-up comic routines and movie humor are often sarcastic, mean and usually at the expense of others. This is what Saint Benedict is referring to when he asks us to avoid excessive laughter.

Humor allows us to see life from the lighter side. Laughter on the other hand is an emotional expression which for many years was looked down upon in the upper classes of society. It was considered to be a lack of self-control and vulgar.

The prideful use this negative, hurtful humor to hide their weaknesses. Avoiding their own internal pain, they use arrogant jokes to make themselves look better than others.

In the Tenth Step of Humility Saint Benedict encourages us to take our humor very seriously. We must guard our laughter taking care not to use it in a hurtful way. 

The humble person cultivates a soul in which everyone is safe. ~ Joan Chittister*

RESOURCES:
The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century by Joan Chittister*

Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan Chitister

The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride by Bernard of Clairvaux

St. Benedicts's Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine

The Rule of Saint Benedict Edited by Timothy Fry

Image credit: Kagita Borra

12 Steps of Humility :: LEARN FROM OTHERS

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT'S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our heart God will raise it to heaven. ~ St. Benedict 

THE EIGHTH STEP OF HUMILITY: The monk does only what is endorsed by the common rule of the monastery and the example set by [her] superiors.

Without good direction, people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances. ~ Proverbs 11:14 (MSG)

It's difficult to find young people who respect, listen and learn from adults.  In the 1970's, my generation of youth, no one over the age of 40 was to be trusted much less respected.

We can't just pick on the young, many adults are hesitant to learn from others. We think we've got life all figured out and don't need advice from anyone. 

The ability to learn from others is a sign that we are at ease with ourselves. If we've worked The Seventh Step of Humility, found and accepted our own weaknesses, then we are well positioned to learn from those around us. 

The eighth degree of humility brings us to such respect for others that we can follow the great rather than get lost making the path as we go. ~ Joan Chittister*

Those who are unteachable are usually not concerned with their spiritual growth.  That's why I must regularly examine the "pride" barometer of my heart. 

Am I blindly walking the same path over and over again? 

Am I willing to asks others for direction?

RESOURCES:

Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan Chittister*

A Guide to Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict's Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey

Saint Benedict's Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine

The Rule of Saint Benedict edited by Timothy Fry

Image credit: andresr / 123RF Stock Photo

12 Steps of Humility :: RADICAL SELF-EXAMINATION

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT'S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our heart God will raise it to heaven. ~ St. Benedict 

THE SEVENTH STEP OF HUMILITY:
A monk not only admits with [her] tongue but believes in [her] heart that others are better than she is.

It is good for me that I was humbled so that I might learn your statutes. ~ Psalm 119:71

Again the ancient language of Saint Benedict goes against our grain and everything we are taught today. But without a doubt the Rule is Biblical!

This radical self-examination, seeing ourselves as inferior to others is not to be done in a self-deprecating, undervalued way. 

When we can find joy in seeing the value of others over ourselves we allow ourselves to be teachable.

"Once we stop pretending to be what we know we are not, we are free to except ourselves and except others as well...  In this acceptance of our own meager virtues and our own massive failures, we have a chance to understand the failures of others.  We have the opportunity to become kind." ~ Joan Chittister*

The seventh step on Benedict's ladder of humility is asking us to make room for personal growth. 

RESOURCES:

Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan Chittister*

A Guide to Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict's Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey

Saint Benedict's Toolbox: The Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living by Jane Tomaine

The Rule of Saint Benedict edited by Timothy Fry

Image credit: ximagination / 123RF Stock Photo

BOOK REVIEW ~ Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan D. Chittister

Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited

by

Joan D. Chittister

82pp

Shortly after I was introduced to Benedictine spirituality in 2012, I found Joan Chittister.  The title to this book was intriguing to me since I've been walking the recovery road for a while.

In The Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited Joan does a remarkable job breaking down Saint Benedict's 12 steps of Humility into easily applied life principles.  I've read this book twice and use it regularly as a resource.  I also enjoy Joan's blog and other books which you can find here: http://joanchittister.org.

Beautifully descriptive!  She is one of my favorite authors today.  I highly recommend everything by Joan Chittister! 

A Monk in the World :: HUMILITY

As A MONK IN THE WORLD WE ARE LEARNING THE TEACHINGS AND PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM AND HOW WE CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR LIVES OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY WALLS. 

humil'ity, n [L. humilitas.]
freedom from pride and arrogance; humbleness of mind; a modest estimate of one's own worth; a deep sense of one's own unworthiness in the sight of God; self-abasement; penitence for sin; and submission to the divine will.** 

Showing respect to the Lord will make you wise and being humble will bring honor to you. ~ Proverbs 15:33

One of the toughest things to learn and practice is humility. Certainly not a topic of daily conversation. But in the last couple of years this is exactly where God has had me parked. And I am reminded of it regularly.  

Why? 

Because I struggle with pride, vanity and every possible opposite of humility.

I will sit and think lowly of myself, having a pity party, imagining no one cares about me, thinking that nothing I do matters to anyone.  I never imagined doing this was prideful.

In fact I am having an immodest estimate of my own worth. I am thinking I should be more important to everyone else than they seem to be showing me.

Everyone who tries to honor himself shall be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be honored. ~ Luke 14:11

This saying demonstrates that all exaltation is a type of pride. ~ The Rule of Benedict 7:2

Saint Benedict's Rule has humility at its core because humility is at the core of the Gospel. That means it should be at my core as well.

I might be walking around with humble behavior. But if in my heart I am always seeking more recognition... I've still got a lot of work to do!


**Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary

12 Steps of Humility :: ACKNOWLEDGING OUR FAULTS

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT'S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our heart God will raise it to heaven. ~ St Benedict

THE FIFTH STEP OF HUMILITY: a monk should not conceal from her abbess any evil thoughts entering her heart or any wrongs committed in secret, but rather confess them humbly.  

Centuries before the psychology industry built their fortunes on our troubles Benedict of Nursia knew the power of confessing to a spiritual guide or mentor.

One of the most difficult things to do is to admit our faults to another person. But as long as we keep our wrongs hidden they have a hold on us. The recovery community says, "We are only as sick as our secrets." 

We destroy ourselves by failing to confess the germ of greed, ambition, anger, and lust at the very moment it is growing in our hearts. We give ourselves life by working through our problems with the wisdom figures in our lives who are stronger at that moment than ourselves. ~ Joan Chittister**

Declaring our faults aloud begins the healing process. Once we do share them we can forgive ourselves, begin new behavior and let the past go.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. ~ Psalm 32:5

Lord, remind me that when I refuse to confess my faults to you I am miserable. But when I stop trying to hide them, you are quick to forgive and all my guilt is gone! AMEN

RESOURCES:
The Rule of Saint Benedict Edited by Timothy Fry O.S.B
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan D. Chittister**
The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride by Bernard of Clairvaux
Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict's Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey
St. Benedict's Toolbox by Jane Tomaine
15 Days of Prayer with Saint Benedict by Andre Gozier, O.S.B.
Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life by Abbot Christopher Jamison


Image credit: icetray / 123RF Stock Photo

The 12 Steps of Humility :: ACCEPT SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT'S LADDER OF HUMILITY.  WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our hearts God will raise it to heaven. ~ St Benedict

The first two rungs on Saint Benedict's ladder of humility help us find our place in the universe. The next brings us to spiritual adulthood by opening ourselves obediently to the wisdom of others.

Step 3 of Humility: Imitating the Lord Jesus a person should submit to their superior in all obedience.

To begin our spiritual growth process we must first find a mentor / teacher and then be willing to accept direction from them. God graciously puts someone in my life to guide me. It is up to me to recognize their authority and to be teachable! 

Thinking we know it all usually land us face first in the dirt!  If we would have started in that position to begin with, humbly accepting direction, we could have saved ourselves embarrassment.

Growing up depends on learning from others. And learning from others depends on humility, being willing to submit this false sense of unlimited power to the experience and vision and penetrating heart of another. ~ Joan Chittister **

By practicing the First Step of Humility: Recognizing God's Presence  and the Second Step of Humility: Accepting God's will  it becomes easier to submit to the authority of a mentor or teacher that has been placed on our life path.

Ultimately it's up to us to listen, accept direction, and value the insights of others. We must see our teachers, whoever they might be, young or old, as the voice of God speaking to us!

RESOURCES: 

The Rule of Saint Benedict by Saint Benedict, Edited by Timothy Fry, O.S.B.
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan D. Chittister**
The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride by Bernard of Clairvaux
Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict's Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey

Image credit: rolffimages / 123RF Stock Photo

The 12 Steps of Humility :: ACCEPTING GOD'S WILL

EACH MONTH IN THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY WE ARE CLIMBING SAINT BENEDICT'S LADDER OF HUMILITY. WITH EACH RUNG WE COME CLOSER TO THE PERFECT LOVE OF GOD.

The ladder is our life on earth, if we humble our hearts God will raise it to heaven. ~ St Benedict

Step 2 of Humility: A person shall love not their own will or take pleasure in the satisfaction of their desires; rather they shall imitate by their actions the saying of the Lord: "I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me."

Certainly one of the toughest lessons we learn in life is that we don't always get things our way. As children we are selfish with our toys, with our activities, our time, with our need for attention and even our friendships.

It doesn't seem to get any better as adults. We want to control every part of our world.

If we can learn to let go and allow God to have control, life becomes so much easier.

But letting go is the hardest part.

I have found the more I practice letting go, accepting the current circumstances, the easier it is the next time.  Now don't get me wrong. I still struggle with this. But it is getting easier. I just have to remember that what is out of my control is in God's control. And what better place for control to be?


RESOURCES:
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan Chittister
The Rule of Saint Benedict edited by Timothy Fry
The Way of Humility by Andre' Louf

The 12 Steps of Humility :: RECOGNIZE GOD'S PRESENCE

Each month in THE 12 STEPS OF HUMILITY we are climbing Saint Benedict's ladder of humility. With each rung we come closer to the perfect love of God. 

To begin our heavenly climb we must humbly bow down and recognize the Presence of God in our lives.

Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. ~ Proverbs 1:7

When we recognize God's Presence, have a healthy, reverential fear of the Lord and give Him reign over our daily lives, we will find the freedom that comes from accepting our proper place in the universe. 

One of the biggest challenges is keeping our self-worth in proper perspective. Without putting ourselves down in our weaknesses or puffing ourselves up in our strengths, we see ourselves as God sees us, gifts and flaws alike. We must face our reality.

To get me back to reality took getting life ripped out from under my feet. Only then was I able to look up and start rebuilding my life based on who God says I am rather than who I thought I was in my own fantastic imaginations. 

Realize it or not, God is always present in our lives and aware of every thought.  It's not hard to imagine God with us when we are being good. But to think of Him with us when we were doing something bad is uncomfortable. 

When we recognize God's presence and put ourselves behind His lead we are less likely to fall. 

CLICK HERE for a beautiful worship song to enjoy as you meditate on the Presence of God.


RESOURCES:
The Rule of Saint Benedict by Saint Benedict, Edited by Timothy Fry, O.S.B.
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan D. Chittister
The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride by Bernard of Clairvaux
Living in the Truth: Saint Benedict's Teaching on Humility by Michael Casey

Image credit: nexusplexus / 123RF Stock Photo

Celebrate Discipline :: SUBMISSION

IN OUR CELEBRATE DISCIPLINE COLUMN EACH MONTH WE ARE LEARNING A NEW SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE, HOW TO APPLY IT AND HOPEFULLY GROW INTO THE PEOPLE GOD WANTS US TO BE.

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: habits that nurture spiritual growth; exercises unto godliness.

SUBMISSION : aligning my will and freedom with God's will and freedom; submitting to others in love and reverence for Christ.

"Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." ~ Romans 12:1

The Discipline of Submission has been abused by our culture and by religion. When we make the Discipline the goal it puts the wrong emphasis on it. The Disciplines themselves are a means to an end. They themselves are not the goal. Their value is the means God uses to give us the freedom we seek.

The freedom that corresponds with the Spiritual Discipline of Submission is the ability to lay down the burden of always getting our own way. It helps when we realize that the world won't end if we don't get what we want. It may be painful today, but life does go on. It's up to me to trust that what God wants is far better for me than what I want.


In Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster we see Submission functions in several ways:

1. The first act of submission is to the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. We are to yield our mind, body and spirit for His purpose; living each day in an attitude of surrender.
2. The second act of submission is to God's Word. As we submit ourselves to Holy Scripture we look to the Holy Spirit for interpretation and application to our life.
3. The third act of submission is to our family. With a submissive heart family members graciously make allowances for each other, listen and share as required.
4. The fourth act of submission is to our neighbors. By performing small acts of kindness, sharing food or tools, caring for children, we are acting with a submissive heart. 
5. The fifth act of submission is to the Christian community. Just as in our family and our neighborhood, we are called to serve the members of the body of Christ. Serving poor, the sick, or simply working in nursery can all be acts of submission.
6. The sixth act of submission is to the despised and broken in our world. Like Mother Teresa and others before her we must find ways to identify with those who are rejected.
7. The seventh act of submission is to our world at large. We don't live in isolation. Our environmental responsibility affects people around the world and generations to come. We must live daily with the future in mind.

While these six areas of submission are all vital, the primary one I'm focusing on is the first. I believe when we yield our mind, body and spirit to God the others will fall in place. 

There's no doubt that submitting ourselves to God is the most difficult of all. For me it is a daily, sometimes moment by moment, challenge. But as we keep Christ front and center of our Spiritual Disciplines we will be drawn closer to his heart and He will make the rest possible.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: What experiences with submission have you had?

If you can't see the screen below CLICK HERE to watch this week's music video by Aaron Shust.


RESOURCES: 

Celebrate Discipline by Richard Foster
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
So You Want To Be Like Christ by Charles Swindoll
The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard



Photo credit: designpics / 123RF Stock Photo

The Road to Recovery :: STEP 7

IN THE ROAD TO RECOVERY COLUMN WE ARE WORKING THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF CELEBRATE RECOVERY THAT ARE BASED ON THE BEATITUDES ALONG WITH THE TRADITIONAL 12 STEPS OF RECOVERY AS THEY ALIGN WITH THE MONTHLY CALENDAR.

STEP 7: We humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings.

"If we confess or sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." ~ 1 John 1:9 

PRINCIPLE FIVE (Celebrate Recovery): Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.

"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires." ~ Matthew 5:6

This leg of our recovery journey is challenging to say the least. 

In Step Four we examined ourself through our moral and spiritual inventory. Step Five required the discipline of confession to a trusted friend or mentor. With Step Six came a time of repentance followed now by Step Seven and the purification of our character.  

Having become willing to yield our defects to God we now must bow humbly before our creator in the hopes that He will see fit to remove them. It's important not to confuse humility with the humiliation that we may be very familiar with as recovering addicts. God doesn't want to shame us, He only wants us to submit ourselves to His way for our life.

Three reasons we need humility:

1. We need humility to recognize the severity of our character defects. Without it we may minimize the pain they cause to ourselves and others.
2. We need humility to acknowledge the limits of our humanity. We can't remove these character defects with our intellect or willpower.
3. We need humility to appreciate that it's only God's mighty power that can transform our life.

Our goal at the end of this step is to find peace with ourselves.

When we go to God we must bring our inventory list and be specific in our prayer. It can be painful and difficult going through this list of wrongs again. Our stinking thinking may tell us we're not worthy of the growth and progress we're making. But if we come with the right attitude God will honor our efforts.

Father God, thank you for helping me become willing to be molded into who you want me to be. I pray that you would remove every defect of character that stands in the way of my being useful to your work. Give me the strength I need to go on from here. I pray this in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen

If you can't see the video screen below CLICK HERE for our Road to Recovery theme song.

RESOURCES:

Celebrate Recovery Bible
Celebrate Recovery Leader's Guide
Life Recovery Bible
Life Recovery Devotional
The Twelve Steps for Christians
Prayers for the Twelve Steps-A Spiritual Journey
Serenity: A Companion for Twelve Step Recovery
Recovery: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice

The Road to Recovery :: Step 6

IN THE ROAD TO RECOVERY COLUMN WE aRE WORKING THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF CELEBRATE RECOVERY THAT ARE BASED ON The BEATITUDES Along with THE TRADITIONAL 12 STEPS OF RECOVERY AS THEY ALIGN WITH THE MONTHLY CALENDAR.

STEP SIX: We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."~ James 4:10

PRINCIPLE FIVE (Celebrate Recovery): Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.  

"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires." ~ Matthew 5:6

In the previous steps, as we began removing the addictions and dependencies from our life, we came face to face with our deeper character defects and discovered a lot of brokenness inside.  Facing our brokenness can be overwhelming and painful.  But if we've made it this far we must be ready for God to change us. 

Thankfully God doesn't measure us on how hard we work. But rather on the condition of our heart. He wants us to mourn over our sins and admit our brokenness. When we bring our brokenness to Him, He promises to forgive us, comfort us and cleanse us. Along with this cleansing God will satisfy our emotional hunger and help us overcome our character defects.

To go forward we must die to our old coping mechanisms. These comfortable "friends" who carried us in troubled times can no longer be a part of our life. But with the loss of anything familiar they need a proper burial. We must turn away from our defective ways, cover the shame with God's love and allow ourselves time to mourn the loss. 

I can look back with fond memories knowing my defects are no longer my friends.

A difficult part of working Step 6 is not knowing who we will be when our defects are gone. They may have caused a lot of pain and suffering in the past, but at least this defective person is familiar. 

Who will we be without our character defects? 

Will our friends and loved ones still accept us when we become this new person?

The bigger question we need to ask is: "Are we really willing for God to remove all our addictions and dependencies?" The truth is we can't even become willing without God's help!

We must be honest with ourselves and realize we may never be "entirely" ready for God to remove our defects of character. What's important is that we stay close to God and keep moving in the right direction. As we do we will get as close to being ready as possible. When we do our part, God will meet us there and take us the rest of the way. 

In fact, by dying on the cross, Jesus met us more than half way! He went all the way for our faults, failures and addictions. It helps me to visualize my specific areas of weakness nailed on the cross with Christ.  

It is only on the Cross of Christ that our defects of character can be removed. 

Dear God, thank you for bringing me this far on my recovery journey. I ask for Your help to make me entirely ready to change all my character defects. Give me the strength to deal with all I have turned over to you. Allow me to accept these changes you are making in my life. Help me be the person You want me to be. In Jesus Christ's name... Amen

CLICK HERE for our Road to Recovery theme song.

RESOURCES:
Life Recovery Bible
Celebrate Recovery Bible
The Twelve Steps for Christians

VIRTUES & VICES: 6 Steps to Humility

These last few months I've been reading books written by revered monks in Christendom: Saint Augustine of Hippo, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Benedict of Nursia, Saint Thomas Aquinas, along with modern Christian mystics Thomas Merton and C. S. Lewis to name a few. I've learned that no matter what century people live in, they have the same personal issues and temptations we have today and those start and end with pride and humility.

VIRTUE: excellence of character that helps us live well as human beings; holy habits.

humility: noun 

1. the modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance.

Humility is ultimately about our struggle to be fully human; to be rooted in our earthly self vs. deceived by our prideful false self.  

This becomes clear when we look at the origin of the word humble. The root is the Latin word humus, which means "soil" or "earth." From this follows the practical definition: to be humble is to be down-to-earth. This root connects humility to humanity because to be human is to be made from the humus. After all God created the first man from earth. 

When we examine relationships gone wrong, we usually find a lack of humility or an excess of pride at the root of the problems.

VICE: corruptive habits that undermine our character and ability to live well.

pride: noun

1. an inflated sense of one's personal status; the love of one's own excellence.

Pride seen as the original sin is really the root of all vice. If we let it take hold, pride can get us in a world of trouble. 

Pride wants to be "number one," head of the class, superior to others. Climbing over others in our ambition, we're often acting out in greed, wrath, lust or other vices. Pride can also be a false front designed to protect an undervalued self.

How can we replace pride with humility?

Like most things connected to the inner workings of our heart, humility isn't something we can make happen on our own; it's a process that takes time and must start with God. Here are a few things I've learned to help us get started...

1. Center Our Lives on God: By recognizing God's presence in our lives and accepting His will, we learn our place in the universe and can embrace awareness.
2. Find Power in Weakness: Appreciating others in the universe and learning from their wisdom and gifts, we find spiritual direction and gain strength to persevere.
3. Shed False Images: Acknowledging our faults and living simply, we're free to drop the masks and ignore the social pressures of consumption and indebtedness.
4. Bond Our Relationships: Once we stop pretending to be what we're not, we find the freedom to accept ourselves and others as well; creating harmony in our relationships.
5. Quiet the Noise: Silence enables us to hear the noise within, brings us face to face with ourselves, tempers our arrogance and makes us kinder to others.
6. Live in God's Presence: A gentle presence brings a sense of the sacred to life. When we walk with God others are able to experience our serenity. 

As you can see, humility begins and ends with God at the center of our lives. Unless and until we have His presence present we will be miserable within and without. Humility seems like a simple thing because it's a common word. Though simple it's not easy, but so very important to our world.

"Humility connects us to the world and makes the world connected, a good and gracious space. Humility calms us and and calms others. It inspires, assures, enriches and enables. Humility gifts us with happiness and graces the world with peace." ~ Joan D. Chittister 

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6) When Christ came He brought grace. So the humble person who knows the Truth will be given grace. Grace is also another word for favor or reward. Here are a few rewards for our humility:

Wisdom: Humility gives us the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom.

Wealth and Honor: The humble person has God's favor which often means wealth and honor. 
Long Life: A humble person is teachable and more willing to live a healthy lifestyle.

As we listen to The Maranatha Singers http://youtu.be/sU8MAQKSbEI let's ask God to reveal what's keeping us from being the humble person He wants us be. 

Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up in honor. ~ James 4:10 NLT




Resources:
Christian Virtue by Patty Woodmansee
Virtue and Vice: A Dictionary of the Good Life by C. S. Lewis
The Heart of Virtue by Donald DeMarco
Finding Sanctuary: Monastic Steps for Everyday Life by Abbot Christopher Jamison
Twelve Steps to Inner Freedom: Humility Revisited by Joan D. Chittister
The Twelve Steps of Humility and Pride by Bernard of Clairvaux
The Rule of Saint Benedict by St. Benedict edited by Thomas Fry
The Greatest Virtue: The Secret to Living in Happiness and Success by Pat Robertson
Biblical Counseling Keys: Pride and Humility - The Prescription for "I" Strain  by June Hunt
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humility  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride 

Photo Courtesy 123rf.com

Working the Steps: Step 7

Step Seven:  We humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.

Step Seven is critical to the cleansing process and prepares us for the next stages of recovery. In the first six steps we became aware of our problems, looked at ourselves honestly, revealed hidden parts of ourselves, and became ready to change.

Step Seven is the opportunity for God to remove the hidden areas that need changing. If you're anything like me, your list is long and painful to reflect on. That pain may bring us to our knees, but what better place to begin with the Lord than in prayer.

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. ~ 1 John 1:9

Don’t hold anything back. It’s only in surrendering everything to God that we will find healing and freedom. With our inventory list in hand, we prayerfully give each item to God. This is the painful beginning we must experience to reach the peace and joy we seek.

The list of shortcomings may cause us to dwell on our self. Meditating on Christ's presence in our life helps change our state of mind. Soon we begin to care more for others and put our self in proper perspective. As we accept who we are today we find joy in becoming the person God wants us to be in the future.

To humble ourselves we must see ourselves as God see us. This can be difficult when our entire life has been spent seeing our self as a worthless piece of dirt. By reading and meditating on God's word regularly we will find the value God sees in us and His plan for our life.

It takes faith and courage to ask God to remove our shortcomings. We must trust that God hears us when we pray and believe He wants to answer us. We may not feel or sense an immediate change, but in thankful expectancy we go forward confessing that God has heard our request and has begun the change in us. In time change will manifest itself visibly.

Empty of self, surrendering to God’s will and serving others; we fulfill His plan for our life.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. -- Psalm 51:10-12

Find strength to work with our theme song video by @Bryan_Duncan http://youtu.be/swNgb9ya6WM




Resources:
Life Recovery Bible
The Twelve Steps for Christians
Follow The Solid Rock Road: Pathway to Radical Recovery by Jamee Rae Pineda and Sherry Colby
Recovery: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice by Rami Shapiro