Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. —Matthew 11:28-30

We are created for joy. We are born for joy. —Jürgen Moltmann

The first of the eight pillars of joy is

.

Joy comes when we move beyond our own

from I and me to us and we.

My additional notes:

Status Seekers

We are social beings, and we naturally desire the

of those around us.

This desire is easily distorted into a desire to hold a higher

than others.

Often, we would rather be

than happy.

Social media

and intensifies the problem.

Thomas Aquinas defined pride as “inordinate desire of one’s own excellence.”

Pride

our friendships, families, work, and spiritual lives.

Pride prevents us from:
1.

: We have to admit we don’t

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everything.
2.

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: We have to admit we were

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.
3. Receiving

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: We have to admit we aren’t all-

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.
4.

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life: We have to stop worrying about our

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.

My additional notes:

The Mind of Christ

When Jesus came along, he taught something new:

.

In the Greco-Roman world, humility was seen as a

.

Jesus taught that in his kingdom, the way to true greatness is to become a

. (Matthew 23:11-12)

He not only taught humility, he

it. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Paul encouraged the Philippians to live

in the same way Christ lived. (Philippians 2:3-4)

My additional notes:

What Humility Looks Like

We often mistake humility for self-

.

Humility begins not by despising oneself, but by

others.

When we realize that we are all children of God and of equal and intrinsic value, then we don’t have to feel better or worse than others. No one is a divine accident. —Archbishop Desmond Tutu

By focusing on others, we have less

to worry about ourselves.

Nature reminds us of the

of God’s creation.

My additional notes:

Humility as Freedom

Humility teaches us that we are not the center of the universe—

is.

Humility is the recognition that your gifts are from God, and this lets you sit relatively loosely to those gifts. Humility allows us to celebrate the gifts of others, but it does not mean you have to deny your own gifts or shrink from using them. —Archbishop Desmond Tutu

When we learn humility, we no longer have to

at every moment, “What does this say about me?”

The humble person is free from

management. (Matthew 11:28-30)

No one is any more or less

of love and acceptance than you are.

The only status that matters: you are beloved by

.

Your love is your

.

My additional notes:

Action Steps

Reflect and make a

of the ways you desire status over others:

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Spend time in

and remember your place in it.

When you feel affronted or offended, ask, “Am I making this about

?”

My additional notes: