Sometimes in trying to practice humility, we are in fact being very prideful. It is a fine line to walk, as outwardly it may seem like we are being humble.
Yet, God did not call us to empty ourselves completely, refusing to use even the gifts he has given to us.
False humility
St. Francis de Sales writes about false humility in his book, Introduction to the Devout Life, explaining what it looks like:
We meet people who tell us that they leave mental prayer to those who are more perfect, not feeling themselves worthy of it; that they dare not communicate frequently, because they do not feel fit to do so; that they fear to bring discredit on religion if they profess it, through their weakness and frailty; while others decline to use their talents in the service of God and their neighbor, because, forsooth, they know their weakness, and are afraid of becoming proud if they do any good thing,—lest while helping others they might destroy themselves.
This might seem like humility, but it is in fact a false type of humility, as St. Francis de Sales explains:
But all this is unreal, and not merely a spurious but a vicious humility, which tacitly and secretly condemns God’s gifts, and makes a pretext of lowliness while really exalting self-love, self-sufficiency, indolence, and evil tempers.
The way of the Christian, St. Francis de Sales explains, is not to deny God's gifts, but to humbly accept them and to use them for his greater glory:
[W]hen God wills to grant us a favor, it is mere pride to reject it, that God’s gifts must needs be accepted, and that true humility lies in obedience and the most literal compliance with His Will!
Jesus talks in a similar way in the Gospels, urging his disciple to not hide their lamps under a "bushel basket," or bury their talents without using them.
The key is to always give credit to God for any good thing that we do. God uses us as an instrument to create a beautiful harmony in the world. We simply need to let him do precisely that, giving him the ultimate glory.
