Grace for the Humble
True humility is essential for receiving God's favor and experiencing His exaltation.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes that grace is given to the humble, highlighting that those with humble hearts actively seek and receive grace abundantly. He encourages believers to adopt a lowly view of themselves, recognizing their neediness and unworthiness, which opens the door for God's grace to flow into their lives. Spurgeon warns against the pride of being proud of one's humility, urging true humility as a pathway to experiencing God's favor. He reassures that grace not only cultivates humility but also rewards it, inviting believers to embrace a humble spirit to be exalted by God's grace.
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He girth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6)
Humble hearts seek grace, and therefore they get it. Humble hearts yield to the sweet influences of grace, and so it is bestowed on them more and more largely. Humble hearts lie in the valleys where streams of grace are flowing, and hence they drink of them, Humble hearts are grateful for grace and give the Lord the glory of it, and hence it is consistent with His honor to give it to them.
Come, dear reader, take a lowly place. Be little in thine own esteem, that the Lord may make much of thee. Perhaps the sigh breaks out, "I fear I am not humble." It may be that this is the language of true humility. Some are proud of being humble, and this is one of the very worst sorts of pride.
We are needy, helpless, undeserving, hell-deserving creatures, and if we are not humble we ought to be. Let us humble ourselves because of our sins against humility, and then the Lord will give us to taste of His favor. It is grace which makes us humble, and grace which finds in this humility an opportunity for pouring in more grace. Let us go down that we may rise. Let us be poor in spirit that God may make us rich. Let us be humble that we may not need to be humbled but may be exalted by the grace of God
Sermon Outline
- The Necessity of Humility
- The Benefits of Humility
- The Call to Humility
- Take a lowly place and let God exalt you
- Be humble in your own esteem
Key Quotes
“Humble hearts lie in the valleys where streams of grace are flowing, and hence they drink of them.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Let us humble ourselves because of our sins against humility, and then the Lord will give us to taste of His favor.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Let us go down that we may rise. Let us be poor in spirit that God may make us rich.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- Take a lowly place and let God exalt you.
- Be humble in your own esteem, recognizing your need for God's favor.
- Let go of pride and self-esteem, and instead seek to be poor in spirit.