If it is the Lord's will

The Journey of Humility: Taming Our Tongues and Trusting God's Will
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where your words got ahead of your wisdom? Or perhaps you've made grand plans, only to have life throw you a curveball? These all-too-human experiences point to deeper spiritual truths about humility, the power of our words, and the importance of aligning our will with God's.
Let's start with a simple story about a dog named Coco. Every morning, her owner attempts to take her for a walk. It should be straightforward – put on the harness, attach the leash, and go. But Coco, despite her excitement, hesitates. She runs away, circles back, and needs coaxing to finally submit to the harness. Once outside, however, she's thrilled and prances along happily.
This daily ritual mirrors our own spiritual journey. We may know what's good for us, we may even desire it, but something holds us back. Fear? Pride? Old habits? Yet when we finally submit to God's will, we often find joy and purpose we couldn't have imagined.
The book of James speaks powerfully to these themes. Written to early Christians scattered by persecution, it addresses a community that had gone from struggle to relative prosperity. With that shift came new spiritual dangers – pride, loose speech, and misplaced confidence in their own plans.
James' words ring just as true today: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10)
This call to humility is a thread woven throughout Scripture. Proverbs tells us that "to fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech." (Proverbs 8:13) It's a stark reminder that pride isn't just a personal flaw – it's something God actively opposes.
Why is humility so crucial? Because pride blinds us. It makes us quick to judge others and slow to examine ourselves. It inflates our sense of importance and diminishes our awareness of God's sovereignty. Pride is the root of so many other sins, particularly those involving our speech.
James pulls no punches when it comes to the danger of an untamed tongue: "The tongue is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." (James 3:6)
Strong words, indeed. But haven't we all experienced the truth of them? A careless word, a bit of gossip, a half-truth told in anger – these can cause immense damage, both to others and to ourselves.
The solution isn't simply to stop talking. Rather, it's to recognize that our speech problem is actually a heart problem. Jesus himself said, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) We need God to purify our hearts if we hope to tame our tongues.
This brings us to the challenging words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." (Matthew 7:1) It's a verse often misused to shut down any form of discernment or correction. But Jesus goes on to explain that we should first examine ourselves, removing the "plank" from our own eye before attempting to remove the "speck" from our brother's.
True humility allows us to offer correction with compassion, just as Jesus did with the woman caught in adultery. He didn't condemn her, but neither did he ignore her sin. Instead, he offered both grace and truth: "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:11)
This balance of truth and grace should characterize our speech and our relationships. We're called to "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15), not to engage in harsh judgment or enabling silence.
But humility doesn't just affect our relationships with others. It should also shape our view of the future and our own plans. James challenges those who confidently declare their intentions without any regard for God's will:
"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'" (James 4:13-15)
This isn't a call to abandon all planning or ambition. Rather, it's an invitation to hold our plans loosely, always seeking God's guidance and remaining open to His redirection. The apostle Paul modeled this attitude, often saying he would visit a church "if the Lord wills" (1 Corinthians 4:19).
There's profound freedom in this approach to life. We can make plans, work hard, and pursue goals – all while trusting that God's wisdom surpasses our own. When things don't go as expected, we're not crushed, because our ultimate hope is in God's plan, not our own.
This posture of humility – before God and others – is the key to so much spiritual growth. It allows us to:

1. Receive correction without becoming defensive
2. Offer guidance without becoming judgmental
3. Speak words that build up rather than tear down
4. Make plans while remaining flexible to God's leading
5. Trust God's wisdom even when we don't understand

The journey toward true humility is lifelong. Like Coco hesitating before her walk, we may struggle to fully submit to God's will. But the promise remains – as we humble ourselves, God will lift us up. Not to a place of worldly prominence, but to a deeper relationship with Him and a life of greater purpose and peace.
So today, let's take a step toward humility. Maybe it's apologizing for harsh words spoken in anger. Perhaps it's reconsidering plans we've made without seeking God's guidance. Or it could be simply pausing before we speak, asking God to purify our hearts and guide our words.
Remember, our lives are but a mist – brief and fleeting. But in submitting to God's will and allowing Him to shape our character, we participate in something eternal. May we, like the psalmist, pray: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)