We have been considering how to cultivate a humble spirit without falling into discouragement. The way to approach this is by naming your sins rightly, and by tracing our sins back to the root sin, and identifying that root sin correctly.
Whenever you sin, whatever the sin is, the root of it is unbelief. If you find and identify that root, you will be humbled in the way that you ought to be, and you will not be discouraged—because repenting of unbelief means that you are turning into faith. All other forms of beating yourself up are actually forms of doubling down on the actual sin, which is unbelief.
This also helps us to grow in mercy towards others, and the sins they commit. When someone else sins, it is unbelief, and when I am exasperated with their sins, my sin is unbelief—the very same sin. This means that my exasperation is misplaced. How can I act superior when I am doing the very same thing?
When I correct the sin of unbelief in my heart, I cannot do it by turning to another place in my heart, and looking to something called “faith.” Faith does not look at faith. Faith looks to Jesus. Faith looks away. This is why the preaching of the gospel is so encouraging. It invites you to look up, and to look away. This is why the Lord’s Table is such an encouragement. You are invited to come and sit, to eat and to drink. You are invited to look away from yourself and all your troubles. So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.