God Gives Grace to the Humble

Jun 30, 2026

We aren't good at recognizing pride in ourselves…but we all have it.

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we all have pride

If you’ve been following Jesus for any amount of time, you probably know that pride isn’t a great thing. Even if you’re not following Jesus, you still don’t like arrogant people. Pride is easy to notice in others but difficult to notice in yourself. So what does pride look like exactly?

Pride can sound like self-sufficiency. Defensiveness. The need to always be right. The refusal to admit weakness. When we think of pride like this, it may be easier to notice it in our own hearts. Proverbs 16 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:8)

Here’s what’s dangerous about pride: it slowly closes your heart off from God and others. You’re right, they’re wrong. I got it this time, God. And before you know it, you might find yourself distant from God and others. 

But humility does the opposite. It creates openness, teachability, and dependence. Maybe this is why scripture teaches again and again that God gives grace to the humble. Let’s humble our hearts together through this prayer:

A Prayer for Humility

God, I’m not even aware of all the ways pride has made its way into my heart

But I confess that I’m prideful

I depend on myself. I look down on others. I become closed off. 

Please teach me humility

Help me become more teachable and honest before you

I need your grace.

Amen. 

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Related Thoughts

  • You Don’t Need Perfect Prayers

    Prayer

    Have you ever stared at a blank page, trying to find the right words — maybe for a school paper, an important text, or even a prayer — and nothing comes out?

    Sometimes, it can feel like God has a minimum word count and when you don’t have the words, it’s just easy to not pray at all. In those moments, be reminded that God isn’t counting words. There’s nothing too small or too big that He doesn’t want to hear about. And when words do fall short, 

    “The Spirit himself intercedes for us” (Romans 8:26 NIV).

    That means even when you don’t have the words, God understands the heart behind your silence. He’s not measuring your prayers by length or eloquence — He meets you in the quiet.

    So if you can’t find the words today, don’t let that stop you from showing up. Sit in the stillness. Let your sighs, your tears, even your silence — become your prayer. He knows. Let this one thing help you today: you don’t need perfect prayers. 

    If you’re having a hard time finding words today, we have a prayer for you below:

    God hears your prayers.
  • God’s Silence is Not His Absence

    Prayer, Trusting God

    Did you know people felt like God was silent in the Bible? So you’re not the only one if you’ve ever

    -Prayed and nothing changes

    -Hope but don’t see movement

    If you’ve wondered, “God, are You even doing anything right now?” 

    Jesus answers that question. He said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” If we’re going to take Jesus at His word, “always” means always. 

    Even when He feels silent. Even when you feel stuck. When you can’t see Him. 

    Maybe God is wanting us to reconsider something today. His silence isn’t a sign that He’s gone- maybe it’s just a sign that He’s working in ways you can’t see yet. Take this with you the rest of your day: God’s silence is not His absence. 

    If you want help trusting Him in the quiet, there’s a prayer waiting for you below:

    God's silence is not His absence
  • Your Ever-Present Help

    Exhaustion, Prayer, Trusting God

    Some days don’t feel peaceful at all. Thoughts can race, emotions pile up, and life can just move too fast. In all of that noise of life, Psalm 46:1 ways, “God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.”

    Not a distant help. 

    Not an occasional help. 

    An ever-present help in trouble. 

    God steps into the noisiness of your life with you to be your refuge. He is your refuge inside the chaos, not outside of it. And because God is with you, you can have safety, strength and help only He can provide. 

    Take this one thought with you: God is your ever-present help today. 

    A prayer for when you need help
  • God Wants Your Honesty

    Exhaustion, Prayer, Shame

    It seems like prayer can mean different things to different people. You might think it’s a confession. Something that you do to clean up before coming back to God. Your prayers sound like a continual, “I’m sorry,” to God, and that might get old after a while. Maybe that’s why you procrastinate praying or have stopped praying altogether. 

    There’s one book that has more prayers than anywhere else in the Bible: the Psalms. And when you read the Psalms, you might be surprised by what you see. Brutal honesty. The writers hold nothing back and bring everything to God. 

    Joy. Anger. Fear. Doubt. Confession. Hope.

    Psalm 62:8 invites you to “trust in Him at all times; pour out your hearts to Him; for God is our refuge.” 

    Pouring out your heart means your whole heart. Are you just letting God see your filtered or polished parts? God isn’t impressed by pretending, and it’s probably exhausting for you. Be encouraged by this one truth today: God wants your honesty, not religious pretending. If you want help praying honestly, join us in the guided prayer below:

    God wants your honesty, not religious pretending.
  • God Changes Hearts Before Habits

    Prayer, Shame

    Have you noticed how much time you spend trying to change certain unwanted behaviors? There’s probably something you’re trying to work on yourself right now. Maybe you’ve been working at starting or stopping something for a long time. Our strategies typically sound something like, “try harder, do better, just break the bad habits and start new ones.” 

    God’s strategy, though, is not any of these things. It goes deeper. God says in Ezekiel 36 that He will “give His people a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 36:26). Meaning, before any actions can change, your heart has to change. Before new habits start, your spirit needs to be made new. 

    Thank goodness spiritual growth isn’t about self-improvement. It’s about letting God transform you starting with what’s most important. If you let Him, He will reshape what you love, what you want, and who you’re becoming. 

    Here’s your one takeaway today: God works from the inside out. If you want to invite God into this deeper, heart-level change, we have a prayer for you:

    God works from the inside out.
  • Presence > Productivity

    Exhaustion, Prayer

    Life moves fast and speed typically gets rewarded. The hustle and grind never stops. More results. More output. More…burnout? It’s easy to assume God wants the same thing from you, but Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know that I am God.” 

    God doesn’t measure your worth by how much you get done or do for Him. He simply wants you to slow down enough to notice His presence in your everyday life. Stillness isn’t laziness. It’s trust. 

    Remember this one thing today: God values your presence. If you need help slowing down, we’ve created a prayer for you below:

    God values your presence.
  • God Can Handle Your Anger

    Anger, Prayer

    Anger can feel like something you should hide from God. Like it makes you a lesser-than Christian. Have you ever thought anger disqualifies you from a closer relationship with God?

    People get angry in the Bible. Sure, some anger is healthier than others, but the Psalms are filled with honest, angry, prayers. Complaints, protests, and raw emotion. Psalm 13 begins with “ How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

    That’s not necessarily the nicest or most polite prayer. But it’s honest. And God hears it. He actually prefers honesty over silence. How you’re really doing instead of polished, insincere prayers. 

    So here’s your one takeaway today: God would rather have your anger than your silence. If your frustration is piling up, there’s a guided prayer just for you:

    God invites your anger, not your silence.
  • God Wanted You First

    Feeling Alone, Prayer

    It’s easy to think faith is about getting to God. Trying harder. Being better. Praying more. Trying desperately to figure out what’s missing to finally feel close to Him. 

    But the story of Jesus begins completely different. Matthew 1:23 gives Jesus a name – Emmanuel, which means God with us. Not distant. Not waiting at the top. Jesus is God with us. 

    It may not be Christmas, but remember that word ‘Emmanuel’ today. Jesus left heaven to reach you. All this striving to be close to Him can be good, but only if you remember that He’s already close. Here’s one takeaway for you: no matter how much you want God, He wants you more. 

    If you want to pray through that, keep reading.

    No matter how much you want God, He wants you more.
  • God is Always Working

    Feeling Alone, Prayer, Trusting God

    Faith isn’t easy. Sometimes the hardest part of this journey is waiting. Waiting for change. Waiting for answers. Waiting for God. 

    But Scripture reminds us that God isn’t idle. “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” Romans 8:28. 

    Even when His work is invisible, He is still active. God might be working things together that you can’t yet understand. Here’s today’s one thought: God is working even when you can’t see it. If you want to trust God with what you can’t quite see, pray with us through the prayer below:

    God is working
  • Formation is not a quick fix

    Looking for a Change

    Is there something you long for God to change in you? Your thought life, or how you talk about other people when they’re not around? Maybe a bad habit you’ve had for a long time? God is in the business of changing people but it looks different than how we try to change ourselves. 

    Through the prophet Ezekiel, God promises something remarkable. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” Ezekiel 36:26. God doesn’t just improve behavior. He transforms your heart. 

    God knows that real, lasting change begins on the inside and eventually grows outward over time. God takes His time because He’s forming something deeper in you than a quick fix. Spiritual formation is how God patiently transforms your heart. Do you want to invite God into the work He’s doing inside of you? Pray this with us today:

    God transforms your heart
  • God Can Bring You Contentment

    Looking for a Change, Trusting God

    What is missing from your life? More clarity? More security? Answers? Control? Psalm 73 says something might shift everything.

    “Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You.” Psalm 73:25.

    Life may not be perfect, but if you have God, you have enough. When God becomes all that you want, your life is no longer defined by what’s missing. Here’s your one thought today: God is enough for you.

    If you want to re-center your life on God, we have a prayer for you below:

    God is enough
  • Jesus is worth rearranging your life

    Feeling Lost, Looking for a Change, Trusting God

    The first disciples left behind so much when they heard Jesus say three simple words. “Come, follow me.” 

    They left behind jobs, routines, and any sense of familiarity. Why? Because something about Jesus was worth rearranging their lives for. 

    He still is. Is there anything Jesus is asking you to leave behind? How has your life been rearranged by Jesus? Following Jesus is worth leaving lesser things behind. 

    Respond to today’s One Thought with the pray below:

    Follow Jesus!
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