“Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”-{1 Peter 5:6-7}
In the midst of the Believers’ suffering, slander, and anxiety, Peter begins to show the first step in combating anxiety and not being overwhelmed, when he says “Humble yourselves” the word “Humble”-{tapeinoo} “happens by being fully dependent on the LORD- dismissing reliance upon self {self-government} and emptying carnal ego. This exalts the LORD as our all-in-all and prompts the gift of His fullness in us.” -{Lexicon- helps word-studies}, It is to assign a lower and proper place to ourselves in light of Who He is, to take our rightful place before Him. As John the Baptist said, “He must increase {become grearer} I must decrease.”-{John 3:30}… become less in my own eyes, because I am. I am dependent upon him having been created by Him, in need of salvation from Him, I am whether I always acknowledge it or not, I am totally dependent upon Him for my next breath! Having a true estimate of myself, my frailty in light of who He is, my need for Him and His help…my Creator God, Sovereign LORD!!
Peter gives Two Motivations for humbling ourselves before Him…in Anxious times.
1. God is in Complete Control – “…Under the Mighty Hand of God.”
Which speaks of His Power and Presence. There is no situation, slander, suffering, or anxious thought that these dear believers whom Peter writes to were not known to God or under His control, COMPLETE control, and it cannot hinder His will from being worked out. God is always in control and though there may be times we don’t understand we know that He promises all things will work out together for good to those who love Him, and…you love Him!…” and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him,…”-{Read- Peter 1:8; Rom 8:28}. For all things are under His complete control, as they were in Job’s trials, the three Hebrew youths in the furnace, Joseph when he was sold into slavery and thrown in jail…The CROSS!!… God was working it all for good and His Honor and others benefit. And this same God who loves you, has saved you if you have repented towards God and placed your faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, you can trust Him and know God is in Complete Control and as He promises in His time will lift you up. His timing may be in this life or the life to come with Him! He is in complete control of time, and deliverance, or the grace to strengthen and sustain you in the trial. He sits upon His Throne and all power and authority are His…including your circumstances!
2. God Cares for You! -“… He cares for you.”
The way it is written grammatically is beautiful. It says He Presently cares for you. He personally cares for you, and this is continuous, unbreakable! In the midst of changing times, changing bodies, and changing seasons of life, we can count in His constant care of affection, compassion, and faithful concern and care for us! In the midst of the people whom Peter was writing to who were suffering, slandered and with that came anxiety, He writes to tell them how to handle it and the first thing is to “Humble yourselves under the Mighty Hand of God and He will exalt you at the proper time! “
When we doubt His care, we doubt that He is in Complete Control, we struggle with humility, and pride is our response, trying to take matters into our own hands because we doubt Him! Pride is a breathing ground for anxiety. And God is opposed to the proud! We have a relationship problem, we have a thinking problem, we have a trusting problem… we have a Pride problem! So what do we do? What does the passage say? We “humble ourselves…” confess our sins, tell Him we are struggling, and ask Him to help us… and He will…
For, “God gives Grace to the humble.” And you have just expressed humility by turning to Him, submitting to His authority, and casting all of our cares upon Him because we trust Him. We believe Him and therefore we trust all of our anxieties upon Him, who cares for us! And as you do, you express genuine humility! Good Job!
Focus on knowing Him better…and trusting Him to remind you of His Word,..truth about Him and how He met people in their difficulties in the Scriptures and you know by experience how He has met you…Let the Spirit of God meet you in His Word and teach you and remind you… humbling ourselves before Him to teach us, change us, and meet us for those testing times and times of anxiety.. and He will, For “God gives grace to the… Humble!” {1 Peter 5:5} – And humility is evidenced in submitting yourself under the mighty hand of God believing He will lift you up in His time knowing He cares for you.
- Anxious thoughts come to all of us. But it is what God says to do with them that we have to believe Him and it begins with Humility. And the Humble trust in His Sovereignty, His promise that in due season he will lift us up, and that of His trusting His personal, genuine Care for us.
REMINDER-TRUTH TO MEDITATE UPON
Memorize, 1 Peter 5:6-7 this week… so you can apply to your life and share to encourage others…
Two truths for you to Contemplate, Celebrate, Appropriate, and Know …
1. GOD IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL…
2. GOD PASSIONATELY, PRESENTLY CARES FOR YOU! Therefore place yourself under His care and control in your circumstances and keep serving Him and others-. As Paul said, “Ourselves your servants, for Jesus sake!”-{2 Cor 4:5}
We seldom think that casting our anxieties upon the LORD is EVIDENCE of Humility… but this passage teaches that it is!
Who are those who cast their cares upon the LORD? The Humble person does!
- Look at the above outline and see if you can commit to memory and seek to help others in their times of anxiety to honor God and help them so that they too may help others, for Jesus sake!
God blesses the Humble! That’s you Every time you give Him your cares you are expressing humility… fueled by faith that He is in Control and He Cares for you!
God bless,
Aidan