Chapter 14

Choosing to be Humble

"And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?" (Exodus 10:3).

We can choose to be humble!  If we are compelled to be humble through our afflictions, our accidents, or our bad choices, then we may end up with a broken heart—but that is the hard way. 

"And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no" (Deut 8:2).

The beautiful message of the Savior’s gospel is that we can have it all, including a broken heart and a contrite spirit, without necessarily suffering.  There is a better and a higher way.

"Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God... yea, without being brought to know the word (the first and great commandment), or even compelled to know, before they will believe" (Alma 32:16).

How do we choose to be humble?

1.     Become as a little child.

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 18:2-4).

2.     Through acknowledging your nothingness as discussed previously.

3.     Through an attitude of gratitude in all things.

D&C 78:19 And he who receiveth all things with ^athankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an ^bhundred fold, yea, more.

4.     Through mighty prayer and fasting.

"And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God... even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come..." (Mosiah 4:11).

"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom (heart)" (Psalms 35:13).

5.     Through acknowledging Jesus’ own example of humility, and being like Him.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matt.11:28-30)

“Lowly in heart”, close to the earth, fertile, receptive, broken.  He has commanded us to learn of Him for to do so makes it much more possible to obey the first and great commandment, for to learn of Him is to love Him with all of our broken heart!