Stronger and Stronger in Their Humility – Helaman 3:35

33 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church–not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God–
34 And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many of their brethren. Now this was a great evil, which did cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great persecutions, and to wade through much affliction.
35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

In this chapter, Mormon describes a slow spiritual decay among the Nephites. Their prosperity and the easiness of their lives resulted in an increase in pride, and they were oblivious to it, even as it “did grow upon them from day to day” (verse 36). 
He also describes “the more humble part of the people.”  He tells us what they did to remain humble under those circumstances: they fasted and prayed often.
The Bible Dictionary tells us that “prayer is a form of work.” The eventual outcome of earnest prayer is a sanctified heart. But as Mormon describes in the verses above, that sanctification happens over a period of time, not all at once. In the short run, we may notice the benefits of our prayers in the form of increased humility and faith. Humility motivates us to pray, and prayer increases our humility. It is a virtuous cycle.
I particularly like the phrase “stronger and stronger in their humility.” To us, humility may look like weakness, but in the long run, we will see that pride is weakness, and humility is strength.
Today, I will ask my Heavenly Father to help me be stronger in my humility. 

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