Embracing Humility: The Path to True Joy

Devotional

Day 1: Humility as Groundedness in Reality

True humility is not about thinking less of oneself, but about stepping out of the cave of self-obsession and entering into the real world, being grounded in the present moment and open to God and others. When we are humble, we are freed from the misery of self-preoccupation and able to experience true joy and serenity by participating in the reality God has prepared for us. Humility is the virtue that allows us to exit the narrow confines of our own desires and frustrations, and to live in the fullness of life with God and neighbor. [02:17]

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you find yourself most preoccupied with your own concerns, and how can you intentionally step out of that “cave” today to notice and serve someone else?

Day 2: Pride as Self-Obsession and Misery

Pride is more than just thinking highly of oneself; it is a form of self-obsession that traps us in our own world, disconnected from reality and others. This inward focus leads to frustration and misery, as the world we create for ourselves never matches the real world around us. Recognizing pride as the root of our unhappiness can help us seek the freedom that comes from humility and connection with God and others. [00:55]

Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Reflection: Think of a recent moment when your own pride led to frustration or disappointment—what would it look like to respond with humility instead?

Day 3: Escaping from Reality in the Modern Age

In our current age, it is easier than ever to escape from reality into worlds of our own making, especially through technology and social media. These distractions can pull us away from the grounding of humility and the real world God calls us to inhabit. By recognizing these tendencies, we can make conscious choices to reconnect with the “humus”—the earth, the present, and the people around us. [04:36]

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to limit your time in digital or self-created worlds and become more present to God and those around you?

Day 4: Charity as the Pathway to Humility

Charity, or love directed toward God and neighbor, is the virtue that leads us out of ourselves and into humility. By practicing charity—through prayer, worship, and acts of service—we are trained to love as Jesus loves, and our hearts are reoriented away from self and toward others. The sacraments, especially the Mass and confession, help us remain rooted in this reality and continually renew our commitment to love. [05:40]

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Reflection: Who is one person you can intentionally show Christ-like love to today, especially if it requires you to set aside your own preferences or comfort?

Day 5: Walking Out of the Cave into God’s Reality

The invitation is to walk out of the cave of self-congratulation or misery and into the reality God has in store for us. This journey requires courage and trust, as we leave behind the safety of our own constructed worlds and step into the unknown of God’s love and purpose. Each day, we are called to take small steps out of ourselves and into the life of humility, charity, and groundedness that leads to true joy. [06:58]

Psalm 40:1-3 (ESV)
I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

Reflection: What is one “step out of the cave” you can take today—however small—to trust God more deeply and embrace the reality He has for you?

Sermon Summary

Humility stands as one of the most essential and elusive virtues in the Christian journey. It is not simply thinking less of oneself, but rather, it is the act of stepping outside the narrow confines of self-obsession and entering into the reality that God has created. Pride, at its core, is not just arrogance but a kind of self-imprisonment—a turning inward that blinds us to the world and to others. This self-focus breeds frustration and misery, as we become trapped in a world of our own making, disconnected from the true ground of our being.

True humility, on the other hand, is about being grounded—literally returning to the “humus,” the earth, the reality outside ourselves. It is in those moments when we forget ourselves, when we are present to God and to others, that we experience the deepest joy and serenity. The most prideful people, whether in fiction or reality, are often the most miserable, because their self-made worlds never align with the real world, leading to constant frustration.

In our modern age, humility is especially difficult to cultivate. We live in a time that encourages escape from reality, whether through technology, social media, or the endless customization of our environments to suit our preferences. These distractions make it easy to lose touch with the grounding reality that humility requires. Yet, humility is inseparable from charity, for charity is always directed outward—toward God and neighbor. To grow in humility, we must grow in love.

The Christian life offers concrete ways to foster this love and humility: participating in the Mass, regular prayer, and confession. The Mass, in particular, is where we learn to love as Christ loves, by entering into His self-giving sacrifice. When we fail, confession reorients us, rooting us again in God’s reality and freeing us from the cave of self-congratulation or self-pity. The invitation is to step out of the cave of self, to walk on the real ground, and to discover the fullness of life that God has prepared for us.

Key Takeaways

1. Pride as Self-Obsession: Pride is not merely thinking too highly of oneself, but a deeper self-obsession that confines us to our own desires, strengths, and weaknesses. This inward focus creates a world that is disconnected from reality and leads to frustration and misery, as we expect others and the world to conform to our self-made universe. True humility begins with recognizing and breaking free from this self-imposed cave. [00:55]
2. Humility as Groundedness: The root of humility is “humus”—the earth. Humility is about being grounded in reality, stepping outside of ourselves, and engaging with the world as it truly is. It is in these moments of self-forgetfulness, when we are present to God and others, that we find true joy and peace. [02:17]
3. The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness: The most joyful and serene moments in life often come when we are least aware of ourselves and most open to what God and others are offering. This self-forgetfulness is not neglect, but a healthy orientation outward, allowing us to participate in the greater reality God has prepared. [03:19]
4. Modern Challenges to Humility: Our age is marked by unprecedented opportunities to escape reality, especially through technology and social media. These tools can reinforce self-obsession by creating personalized worlds that cater to our preferences, making it even harder to remain grounded and humble. Recognizing and resisting these tendencies is essential for spiritual growth. [04:36]
5. Charity as the Path to Humility: Humility and charity are deeply connected, as charity always moves us outward toward God and neighbor. The practices of the Christian life—Mass, prayer, and confession—train our hearts in love and humility, helping us to exit the cave of self and live in the reality God intends. When we fail, confession restores us, rooting us again in humility and love. [05:40]
** [05:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:55] - Understanding Pride: More Than Arrogance
[02:17] - The True Meaning of Humility
[03:19] - Joy in Self-Forgetfulness
[04:36] - The Modern Age and Escaping Reality
[05:40] - Charity: The Companion of Humility
[06:10] - The Role of Mass in Forming Humility
[06:30] - Confession: Returning to Love
[06:45] - Remaining Rooted in Reality
[06:58] - The Call to Step Out of the Cave
[07:10] - Embracing the Ground of Humility
[07:20] - Final Encouragements and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Philippians 2:3-8 (ESV) —
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

- James 4:6-10 (ESV)

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Observation Questions

According to Philippians 2, what does it look like to “count others more significant than yourselves”? What example does Paul give us in Jesus?
In the sermon, how is pride described as more than just arrogance? What is the deeper problem with pride? [00:55]
What are some of the ways the sermon says our modern world encourages us to escape reality and lose touch with humility? [04:36]
What practices does the sermon mention as ways to grow in humility and charity? [05:40]

Interpretation Questions

Why does the sermon say that pride leads to frustration and misery, while humility leads to joy and peace? How does this connect to the Bible passages we read? [02:17]
The sermon talks about humility as “being grounded” and returning to the “humus” or earth. What does it mean to be grounded in reality as a Christian? [02:17]
How does the practice of charity (love for God and neighbor) help us grow in humility, according to the sermon? [05:40]
The sermon mentions that confession helps us “exit the cave of our own congratulations or our own miseries.” What does this mean, and how might confession reorient our hearts? [05:40]

Application Questions

The sermon says that pride is a kind of “self-imprisonment” that blinds us to others and to reality. Can you think of a recent time when you were so focused on yourself that you missed what was happening with God or others around you? What was the result? [00:55]
The most joyful moments, according to the sermon, come when we forget ourselves and are present to God and others. When was the last time you experienced this kind of self-forgetful joy? What were you doing? [03:19]
The sermon warns that technology and social media can make it easy to escape reality and reinforce self-obsession. Are there specific ways that technology or your environment tempts you to focus inward rather than outward? What could you do to resist this? [04:36]
The sermon says that humility and charity are inseparable. Is there someone in your life right now who would benefit from you reaching out in love, even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone? What is one concrete step you could take this week? [05:40]
The Mass and confession are described as ways to “train our hearts” in humility and love. If you participate in these practices, how do they help you become more humble? If not, is there a spiritual practice you could start or return to that would help you grow in humility? [05:40]
The sermon talks about “stepping out of the cave of self” and walking on the real ground. What is one area of your life where you feel stuck in your own head or self-concern? What would it look like to step out of that cave this week? [06:58]
The sermon says, “the second we think we’re being humble, we’ve just lost humility.” How can you pursue humility without becoming proud of your own humility? What would it look like to focus on God and others instead? [05:40]

Sermon Clips

Humility is one of the greatest virtues that we strive for in the Christian life. And at the same time, it's also the hardest to attain. It's almost like catching smoke. The second we think we have it, we've lost it. And humility is so, so important. It's so important that all of the saints up and down the ages have preached about the importance of humility. [00:00:07] (25 seconds) #virtueofhumility

True humility, and if we understand the word humility, it comes from the word humus, which just means earth or ground. True humility is exiting that cave of ourselves, that world of self-obsession or self-preoccupation, and entering into reality, entering into the outside world, the earth, being grounded. [00:02:09] (23 seconds) #humilityisgrounding

Oftentimes we get lost in the technological world of the world that either we create or the world that's been tailored to us with our own preferences and, you know, all the metadata things that show ads for things that we've only talked about in conversation near a phone and all those strange things. But it's a world that's so easy to get lost and that we lose touch with that humus, with the ground, with the real world. [00:04:59] (30 seconds) #humilityislostinpride

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