“the way we continually talk about our own inability is an insult to the Creator. the deploring of our own incompetence is a slander against God for having overlooked us. get into the habit of examining in the sight of God the things that sound humble before men, and you will be amazed at how staggeringly impertinent they are:

‘oh, i shouldn’t like to say i am sanctified; i’m not a saint.’ {…etc, but we ARE!}

when we say that before God, it means—‘no, Lord, it is impossible for you to save and sanctify me; there are chances i have not had; so many imperfections in my brain and body {i really believe that one sometimes}; no, Lord, it isn’t possible.’

that may sound wonderfully humble before men, but before God it is an attitude of defiance.  

but instead to say, ‘thank God, i know i am saved and sanctified’ is, in the sight of God, the acme of humility; it means you have so completely abandoned yourself to God that you know He is true. never bother your head as to whether what you say sounds humble before men or not, but always be humble before God, and let Him be all in your life. 

there is only one relationship that matters, and that is your personal relationship to a personal Redeemer and Lord. let everything else go. but maintain that at all costs, and God will fulfill His purpose through your life. one individual life may be of priceless value to God’s purposes, and yours {is} that life.”

{yes, by His grace alone. this is a hard lesson, because i seldom want to believe God’s truths about myself and let them become my truths for myself. i often want to sound/appear humble before people, when in reality it is how i am before my Father alone that matters.}