Genesis 3:19 (KJV)

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

It’s so easy to become high-minded and high-hearted when we achieve something—whether it’s a promotion, a degree, or even a spiritual milestone. We start to feel like we’ve made it, that we’ve arrived at some level of greatness. But God’s Word reminds us of a humbling truth: we are dust. No matter what we achieve, we came from the ground, and to the ground, we will return.

There’s a reason God wants us to remember that we are dirt. It’s not to make us feel worthless, but to keep us humble. When we forget where we came from, we start to rely on ourselves, trusting in our own wisdom and abilities. But the reality is, nobody can truly understand how deeply flawed and sinful they are. It’s only by faith through the Word of God that we can begin to grasp our own evil nature.

It's not about trying to stay humble, we must understanding our origins. We came from dirt, that itself is humbling and that's what it truly means to "stay grounded".

Once we believe this truth, we start to see that we can never trust ourselves again. We realize that all our supposed goodness, all our accomplishments, are nothing without Jesus. That is when spiritual life really begins. It's not just by accepting salvation and knowing we are perfected forever, but by accepting all of Jesus’ words into our hearts in every circumstance. When we truly embrace this, it changes how we react to the world around us. We no longer feel the need to argue, bicker, or fight to prove ourselves right. We stop relying on our own thoughts and opinions, and instead, we rest in the wisdom of God. We accept all circumstances, knowing that we are dust, and we leave everything in God’s hands.

But there's a big challenge.

Many people know, at least theoretically, that they shouldn’t trust their own thoughts. Yet, deep down, they still believe they have some good inside. This is where pride creeps in, subtly convincing us that we have some inherent goodness apart from Christ.

True humility is letting go of our trust and belief in ourselves.

God calls us to a deeper humility, one that acknowledges our complete dependence on Him. When we remember that we are dust, we stop trusting in ourselves and start relying fully on Jesus. We start to see our need for Him in every moment, in every decision, and in every relationship.

This isn’t just about a one-time decision to follow Jesus. It’s about daily choosing to accept His Word above OUR thoughts. When we do this, we find a peace that surpasses understanding. We no longer need to fight or prove ourselves, because we know that our worth and our righteousness come from Jesus alone.

God wants us to embrace our weaknesses in order to find His strength.

Are there areas where you’ve started to trust in your own abilities, wisdom, or goodness? Are you holding on to pride, thinking you can handle things on your own? We must remember and accept that we are dust. Without God, we are truly nothing. We when believe this, we start to surrender all things to Jesus. Amen!