Humbleness ~ Humility 1

     HUMBLE   I have this word on my mind alot lately.  God wants me to stand up, be obedient and be humble.  These are the three things he has been speaking to me about.   My new quest is to understand this word which God has spoken to me in my personal bible study this week. 
     Be humble  - my first thought in defining this word is:
To not think too highly of myself or should I say think of others before myself
To not look for praise from others
To keep myself from bragging or drawing attention to myself
To give all glory to Him
     Webster defines humbleness as:  having or showing feelings of humility rather than of pride, aware of ones shortcomings, modest, meek.
2.  showing deferential respect
3.  lacking high social status.  lowly unpretentious:  a humble cottage
Humility means the quality or condition of being humble, lack of pride, modesty
Phillipians 2:5-7 says this about humbleness and as I explore the word I am sure to find the answers I seek.. "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."
     First I learn that I need to be like Jesus and to strive for this at all times.  Luckily I have the holy spirit working within me and I can do this on His strength. He was a servant.  I must serve as he did and forget about getting recognition for things.  Because isn't that one of the things I crave?  Yes, deep down I want to be noticed.  I struggle with the desire to "do"  something important or to get the praise from people around me.  It might not appear so but inside I compare myself to others and wish I had more apparent giftings.  I know that God doesn't want them from me.  He wants me to be humble.  Until He works that character flaw out of me, I won't be complete.
       I must trust that I am exactly the way He made me for a reason.  To serve him, I must do the tasks he puts in front of me.  In this way, I will be in His will.