Benefits of Humbleness

There are over 73 Bible verses about being humble and 51 about pride. Being humble is an important topic to God, and there are many benefits of humbleness.

In the previous post, Humility in the Bible, one of the benefits of humbleness is obtaining honor.

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 15:33 ESV

When we fear God, our actions will honor Him. And when we give Him the respect that is due Him, He also honors that action in us.

Below are ten more benefits of humbleness that we receive:

1. Humbleness Prevents God’s wrath

When a child has done something wrong, we get angry and will need to discipline them. However, our anger is subdued when that child comes to us with a repentant heart. We may need to give them some type of consequence for their actions. But their punishment wouldn’t be as harsh as it would have been without their admission of their sin.

Due to Hezekiah’s humbleness, a whole city was spared from God’s wrath. Our repentance can affect more people than ourselves. Just as our pride can affect others too.

But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 32:26 ESV

2. God hears the humble

I do not doubt that God hears the prayers of all people. But when a person humbles himself before our Almighty God, God pays special attention to hearing the repentant prayers of His children.

because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord.

2 Chronicles 34:27 ESV

3. He Leads and Teaches the Humble

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

Psalm 25:9 ESV

When a person is humble, God leads them to do what is right and just. He wants them to follow the road that He has planned for them. This is done by teaching them His ways. It goes back to doing the right things. Not the evil or sinful ways you left behind when you turned to God.

4. Lord lifts up the Humble

The Lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. Psalm 147:6 ESV

God hates pride so much that it is listed as one of the six things that God hates, seven that are an abomination to Him (Proverbs 6:16-19 ESV). This passage is about ‘haughty’ eyes. Haughty is another word for pride.

In this list of things, God hates a heart that devises evil and feet that make haste to run to evil (vs. 18). These people are the wicked that God throws to the ground. He brings them down low and humbles them.

This is saying a lot for God to hate some things. God is love (1 John 4:16 ESV). Because of that, He does not put up with these things at all.

Instead, He lifts the humble up. He restores and relieves them from their afflictions. Quite the opposite of what He does for the proud!

5. Lord adorns the humble

For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.

Psalm 149:4 ESV

God is so pleased with those who are His that He wants to beautify those who are humble.

This verse says that He adorns them with salvation. Does He give them salvation in Jesus solely based on their humility? No. They need to repent of their sin and ask Jesus into their hearts. If you haven’t done that, check out how to have peace with God.

6. Benefits of Humbleness include Favor with God

Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.

Proverbs 3:34 ESV

What does it mean to scorn? One who scorns boasts, mocks, or talks arrogantly. Sounds like a prideful person again, doesn’t it?

Remember that God hates pride so he mocks those who are prideful. He doesn’t put up with it!

Yet to those who are humble or meek, He gives them favor or grace.

I am so thankful for God’s grace! It is God’s unmerited favor. It is nothing that I have done or deserve. Yet, He gives grace to those who are humble. And many days, I am far from being humble.

7. The Humble obtain Wisdom

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2 ESV

People who have pride in their hearts are disgraced or dishonored. They disgrace themselves and even their family.

But the humble are wise and have wisdom. That wisdom brings them and their family honor.

8. He hears and responds

In one of the benefits above, I talked about God hearing our prayers. Yet, He responds too. Sometimes He responds through His Word, through other friends, and even verbally. And these responses could come in person or via a messenger.

Daniel had been praying and mourning for three weeks. He was so disturbed by the visions He was given by God that he got on his knees to pray and stayed there.

Because of his humble heart, God dispatched an angel to respond to him in person.

Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.

Daniel 10:12 ESV

9. Greatest in the Kingdom

Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:4 ESV

When we humble ourselves like a child before God, He highly esteems this action.

From all these verses, you can see why God would highly esteem those who have a humble heart.

10. The Humbled is Exalted

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 23:12 ESV

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

James 4:10 ESV

Both of these verses repeat what we have learned in the verses above. When we humble ourselves, God will honor us.

Benefits of Humbleness: Reflection Thoughts

1. Of all the benefits of humbleness, which one means the most to you and why?
2. What is one thing you can do today to be more humble?

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Resource Library

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