Formed or forced?

Humility: “Who Am I?” and the Grace That Forms Us

My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you. (Gal 4:19)

If humility is not something we merely force ourselves to do, how is it formed in us?

The choices we make when confronted with pride or humility are the building blocks—the stepping stones toward true humility. Harness humiliation and conflict to stir up the hidden pride, to take off the “humble pie” mask. Over time, God’s grace shapes His Son within us, conforming us to His image. He is patient, yet persistent, in this transformation. The key is we are not supposed to copy or mimic Him, we are to be Him. There is a difference. One is effort and the other is empowered by grace resulting from an intimate relationship. Humility should be seamless and without thought. When this occurs, we have been eternally transformed.  Now we can say “I am”…the image of Christ. 

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
(Philippians 2:13)

Humility begins with proper God-alignment, particularly with our “I am” statements. What we believe about who we are determines how we live. These inner declarations eventually shape who you become.

When your “I am’s” are aligned with God’s truth, humility becomes the natural outcome, not a forced response.

That question—Who am I? —is not insecurity when it is brought before God. It is actually the foundation of humility.

True humility is embedded in that honest posture before the Lord. From there, we begin choosing actions that align with humility. Over time, those choices become our nature. One day, you wake up and realize the inner debate is no longer needed.

You are no longer striving to appear humble, measuring every response, or wrestling over how to act.
 

You stop trying to be humble when you finally know who you are. 

The goal is not self-improvement, but Christ-formation.  Humility is not something you per-form. It is something He-forms. 

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. conformed to the image of His Son. (Rom 8:29)