“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
King James Version (KJV)
Jesse's comment on 2020-04-29 22:20:18:
Marti,
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. The word humble in James 4:10 is a command, but it's in the Passive Voice. It is literally be humbled in the sight of the Lord. That's what it would literally read.
Every time there is a command for to be humbled in the scriptures, it's always in the Passive Voice which means submit to God's humbling process. He humbles us.
You see, if I humble myself and bring myself before God, that's pride. It would be like "Here I am Lord, your humble servant. I have come humbly before you!" And the Lord is probably going "Let's try that again because I can't accept that."
So when God brings us low, we are supposed to submit to it. And then the promise is that He shall lift you up.
If you start at James 4:7, and keep in mind that these are Jewish believers who are in difficult and hard situations. They are afflicted. They are mourning. They are weeping. And they are attempting to change their circumstances into laughter and joy in order to encourage themselves.
The command is let yourself be afflicted, let yourself mourn, let yourself weep, let your joy turn into heaviness, and your laughter into mourning.
In other words, take the low road. We all want to feel good. We all want to feel encouraged. We all want to think positive. But James is saying take the low road.
If you're in affliction, and choose affliction and mourning, weeping and heaviness, and mourning so that you can experience the grace of God rather than attempting to in your own human resources make yourself a happier person and make yourself feel better about yourself, that's the road to be on.
He's not saying that you should not feel good about yourself. He's just saying choose the difficult road. Don't keep trying to get out of it. God is humbling you for a reason. He's bringing you low so that you come to Him.
Marti Lambert's comment on 2020-04-29 18:23:30:
The king James says "in the sight of the Lord" Other versions say "before the Lord"
What is the significance of humble ourselves in the sight of the lord. Is it position or place?
Habakku's comment on 2015-07-11 22:37:34:
All you have to do give yourself not partial but all and let him use you.
Karen's comment on 2015-06-21 04:13:10:
This scripture is the acknowledgement of the awesome and only GOD OF THE UNIVERSE WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES WE ARE SAYING TO HIM YOU ARE GOD THE AUTHOR OF ALL THINGS
BK VAIPHEI's comment on 2015-04-14 23:13:16:
I can not love those who do not love me. I do not want to humble before men who hate me.
Evangelist Anselm's comment on 2014-12-16 08:09:21:
it reminds me what is in Heb 12 2 looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God
MockingBird's comment on 2014-08-17 04:43:24:
It was a joy for the Lord Jesus to humble himself before the Lord and He got highly exalted . So therefore I ought to do the same. It is not easy because I have to crucify my flesh but OH !! the Blessings. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God cannot keep you. Blessings and Joy ahead and Victory.
MPD's comment on 2014-08-17 00:19:24:
This verse again serves as a reminder about core of our faith foundation such as "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Ph 4 13 "