humiliation
“Fresh from the humiliation we had suffered at Philippi — about which you know — we drew courage from our God to preach His good tidings to you in the face of great opposition.” —1 Thessalonians 2:2
When we’ve just been humiliated, we tend to focus on ourselves, be unforgiving and resentful, lick our wounds, and/or have a pity party. However, such a time of humiliation can be just the right time to proclaim the Gospel. The humiliation we suffered may have been a defensive maneuver by the devil to try to stop us from receiving an exceptional outpouring of God’s grace. When humiliated, we shouldn’t draw back but charge forward (see Jas 1:2-3).
For example, when St. Paul was humiliated, beaten, dragged from Lystra, and left for dead, he “got up and went back into the town” (Acts 14:19-20). When Sts. Paul and Silas were arrested, stripped, flogged, and had their feet chained to a stake, they did not shut up or shut down but prayed and sang to the Lord (Acts 16:19-25). Before long an earthquake rocked the prison, and Paul and Silas converted the jailer and his family to the Lord (Acts 16:33). After Jesus’ ultimate humiliation on Calvary, He had the ultimate victory of Resurrection from the dead (see Mt 28:5-6).
Humiliation isn’t always a bad sign. It often precedes the greatest works of God in our lives, if we would only respond to God and not the momentary experience of humiliation.
Prayer: Father, by faith may I let You turn my humiliation to the good (Rm 8:28).
Promise: “First cleanse the inside of the cup so that its outside may be clean.” —Mt 23:26
Praise: Frank was raised by atheist parents. As a young teenager, he stumbled upon a Catholic television station, something entirely new to him. He began watching Catholic programs when his parents weren’t home. As a highschooler, he read the Catechism of the Catholic Church three times. Now he is a Catholic priest.
Reference:
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