“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. – John 5:30

Everything that Jesus did was because it was initiated by the will of God.  He did not seek his own will but God’s.  This is what life looks like when it is completely submitted to God.

“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true. – John 5:31-32

This witness that Jesus was talking about was John the Baptist.  It’s important that we don’t go around boasting and bragging about who we are and what we’ve done.  A better way to do this is to just serve or do what you are gifted to do and let other people talk about how you impacted their lives for the better.

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5

One thing that we can do to ensure that we remain humble and not let our ego get the best of us is to be accountable to someone who is more mature than we are.  Peter was saying here when we do that it will prevent us from getting prideful and when we remain humble, more of God’s grace will be given to us.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. – Proverbs 16:18

This verse serves as a warning.  When you have an ego about yourself be aware that you may be setting yourself up for a fall.  We need to remember that in everything that we are doing, it’s God who is sustaining, keeping and allowing us to be successful.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2:3-4

Many people live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves.  But selfishness or empty conceit brings discord.  Paul stressed spiritual unity asking the Philippians to love one another and to be in one spirit and purpose. Don’t be so concerned about making a good impression or meeting your own needs that you damage a relationship in Gods family.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10

As Christians, we honor people because they have been created in God’s image, because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and because they have a unique contribution to make to the body of Christ. When your ego is in check you shouldn’t have any problem honoring others or putting them first.

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:28

Using this as our example, we see that Jesus’ mission involves serving others, not to be served by everyone else.  So in everything that we strive to do, we should constantly remind ourselves that we need to serve others so that we can be a blessing to them.

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35           

This is a way that you can keep your ego in check.  Seek to help others when it’s not convenient. Devote your energy and efforts to others when it may be difficult to do so. And by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back.   This kind of love is hard to do but when people see and notice what you have done they will see that it’s the power of the Holy Spirit that is working through you to accomplish this.

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? – 1 Corinthians 4:7

A humble heart has no room for ego or pride or arrogance because it recognizes that all we have and all we are comes from God. We need to remind ourselves of this from time to time and thank God for all that he has done in our lives.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. – 1 Corinthians 15:10

This is one of my life verses.  This verse shows us that It is all by God’s grace, so there is no room for ego or to boast about myself. (grace in 3 tenses)  It’s by His grace that you are forgiven from your past. It’s by his grace that he is empowering you to do what you are doing now, and his Grace will cause you to get the results that you will get as you work to do his will. Grace in the past present and future to ensure that your ego doesn’t make you think it was only you.