Self-realization

Job saw God and with the encounter came self-realization. "Wherefore I abhor myself and repent." What did Job need to repent of? His estimation of his own righteousness, his own wisdom, his own importance, and His own idea of what he did or didn't deserve to happen to him. Isaiah had a similar encounter. His response: "Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips." Not a great positive trait for a prophet. John the Baptist had that encounter. "He must increase, I must decrease. I am not worthy to untie His sandals." When we begin to think too highly of ourselves and our importance, we need to see God as these men did.
What did Job see? He saw the Craftsman-Creator of the universe who had a long glowing record of past accomplishments, all of them performed without the slightest flaw or mistake. He saw the God whose ways were beyond the understanding and capabilities of mere mortal men no matter how wise they were in their own eyes. He saw the God who is under no obligation to explain to men what He is doing in their lives and why. He saw the God who need make no excuses to men to justify Himself and His actions. He saw the God who need not point His finger at anyone else--even Satan--as reason for allowing something to happen in the life of His children. He saw the God who was in complete control of everything from the wind to the whale to the changing affairs of men and their families and friends. Such an encounter brought Job to the end of questioning God, to the end of demanding from God some explanations, to the end of self-defense.
The result? Job--and Isaiah and John--realized that the only One who matters is God. He must be continually elevated higher and higher. What people think of me is irrelevant. How many people respond to my ministry is irrelevant. How many people follow and admire me is irrelevant. My spiritual "ambition" must be to become nothing that others might find Him in all things. For when He is lifted up--when men see Him--He will draw all men to who He is.