... I found spending time thinking about this to be encouraging. One thing in particular stuck out to me.
To answer this question you might try to answer another question first "What pleases God?" Well, here is an awesome verse that has been on my mind (thanks to one of my pastors).
Is 57:15 "For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell {on} a high and holy place, And {also} with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite."Though God is high and holy he is actually pleased to dwell with the lowly. In fact he has promised his presence of blessing to those who are lowly or "poor" in spirit. Contrition is something that is pleasing to God.
But does this have anything to do with Jesus? After all, he was always perfectly obedient and every thought of his heart was "only good continually" (not a Scripture verse but true!). So he wouldn't need to be humble and contrite right? Well, actually, it is here especially that Jesus is the perfect example (isn't he always?).
Though without sin and need of repentance, Jesus was more humble, contrite, and dependent on God than any man ever was. He was made to walk as a man, and as such he was constantly putting himself in a low position toward those around him always being gracious and godly even in spite of their rejecting him and trying to kill him (their savior). He was taken advantage of, unappreciated, misunderstood, and even hated. He was the man of sorrows. But, even more than all that, he was humble toward God. Name one time where he was selfish in respect to God! Or try and point to one prayer of his where you see him asserting himself above God! Here is a healthy snapshot the Scriptures give us of his prayer life.
Heb 5:7 "In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety."Jesus was the godliest man this world has ever known and is our great example even in respect to being contrite in spirit. God the Father was pleased with him.
