If we will allow the Holy Spirit to humble us, He will, through the life of Jesus, help us see all of the character of God, the Father, and all He has to offer. As we compare our life with Jesus’ life, we can see the drastic difference. His life helps us see how great our need is for righteousness. Whereas before, we felt we really weren’t all that bad.

As we see Jesus live life and tell us what God expects of us, He will help us see ourselves differently. Before, all we had to compare ourselves with was other people who were just as bad as we were. And, some of them were even worse, if you can believe that. But, once Jesus and His teachings become the criteria for a life of righteousness, we suddenly get a sincere hunger and thirst for righteousness.

If we are starting into this study with a major part of our life’s philosophies from the world (and almost all of us do), we will find ourselves struggling with our emotions. Putting God, His Kingdom, and His righteousness first, will take us into concepts that are diametrically opposed to most of those ideas and principles we have been taught. Pride isn’t taught as a bad thing in the world.

Before we can expect to open up to God’s ideas and principles, we will have to accept His wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and philosophies as being superior to all we have learned prior to this. All we have learned and believed prior to this is the culprit that has been hurting and killing us. Jesus will seem very strict and demanding in this issue of putting God’s Kingdom and righteousness first in our life. But, this is the ONLY way we are going to be able to get all our physical, spiritual, and ministerial needs met through God.

But, this pressure toward righteousness isn’t being exerted toward us trying harder or trying to live better. It is being exerted toward us praying more with greater amounts of Scriptures to guide our prayers. God will answer our prayers for a deep spiritual desire for righteousness.

You can allow Him to show you how unrighteous you are and you will still not feel depressed, rejected, defeated, or unworthy. You will see your spiritual needs and be glad He showed them to you. You will use His evaluation of you to help you better know how to pray and seek His righteousness. God-esteem will keep you in faith in Him WHILE you are being shown great needs for more spiritual growth in your life.