Grace to the Humble

“Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God…Come near to God and he will come near to you…Humble yourselves before the LORD, and he will lift you up.” James 4:5-8.

This first line seems so difficult for me to understand. We all give the word envy a negative connotation due to the word being a ‘don’t do this’ commandment. When I watch the challenges my children face I have an intense envy for them to draw near to God for resolution and revelation. I believe this verse has the same basic meaning in the Spirit of Christ whom was sent to dwell within each of us. This Spirit is responsible for many things regarding our Christian walk and desires to be active in our lives.

The Spirit is an active and living person of the Trinity with the ability to feel, act and be passionate about our intimacy with God.

‘…for the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans…’ (Romans 8:26).

‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…’ (Eph. 4:30)

‘Do not put out the Spirit’s fire…’ (1Thess. 4:19)

He feels and He acts so He also envies intensely for each of us to live our lives with God as our Master. ‘The Holy Spirit whom God caused to dwell in us yearns over us with jealousy for our entire devotion to Christ.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 2237. The more we submit ourselves to God by approaching Him, listening to Him, and obeying Him we posture our hearts for more grace. The proud heart sees no reason to approach Him for he feels the answers lie within himself. Just as humans are repelled by proud and boastful people, so is God. Just as we cannot resist the brokenness of others, neither can God. When we approach God with a humble and contrite heart we will be keenly aware of the nearness of God.

We live our lives out of our passions, quenching the fires of things less important. The more passionate we are about God the more passionately He returns what we need as penned so eloquently by Annie Johnson Flint.

'He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase,
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.'