Humble Yourselves

1 Peter 5:6-7 ~ "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

If ever there was a condition that magnifies the sin of man it is pride. And yet, this clear command is given that we must humble ourselves. 

But what does it mean to be humble? In truth, it is a disposition of low consideration of self. Not in the modern view of "low self-esteem," meaning a morose view of one's life, but a recognition of who we are in comparison to the Almighty God. We are the creature, He is Creator. We are exceptionally limited, He is all-powerful. We are ignorant, He is wisdom itself. In all ways, we look to the LORD Jesus and see in Him absolute perfection in all His being and we see in ourselves the frailty of our limitations. Jesus expressed our limitations when He said that we could not even make one hair white or black (see Matthew 5:36). 

Let us first look at the location of our humility. We are to humble ourselves "under the mighty hand of God." It will not take long, dear ones, to recognize the limits of our own superiority. We tend toward pride and arrogance in our thinking, believing that we can find our own way, trust our own instincts, believe our own truths and exalt our own selves. But, believer, you are not under the authority of your own will, you do not submit to your own notions. We are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and trust that He will govern our way.

It did not take Job long to learn this lesson. When God confronted Job during the patriarch's great trial, the Almighty does not come to the man with tender terms but with the absolute declaration that the LORD is God (see Job, chapters 38-41). And it is under that mighty hand that we must humble ourselves. We cannot change the course of the weather, make the rains come or go, set the stars in the heavens or even bring about the growth of one single leaf on a tree. Yet the arrogance of mankind is so vast that they will dismiss the Almighty in favor of their own notions. Let it be not so with us, dear ones. Let us humble ourselves under God's mighty hand.

But for how long? What is the limit of our humility? Peter tells us to humble ourselves continually, until that proper time: "so that at the proper time he may exalt you." We humble ourselves until Christ deems to exalt us. The LORD Jesus has purposed to set on high, to seat with Himself those who have surrendered to His salvation and have yielded to His rule. Even as a king enthrones his bride as queen, so the LORD Jesus, the King of kings, will set on high His bride, the church. The proper time is coming, but it is not up to you or I to determine the timing of it. Our humility may last a lifetime, but let it be so, knowing full well that Jesus will do exactly what He promised and exalt His people.

James 4:10 tells us, "​Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." It is a promise handed to those who belong to Christ--those who have humbled themselves before the LORD and with one another (see 1 Peter 5:5). How many of the arrogant souls who stand before God, boasting of their own greatness will be cast down and removed from His presence forever. The words of Matthew 7:21-23 speak of those who will brag to the LORD about all they did in His name, yet the King will cast them away as strangers to Him. Why? Because God's salvation only comes to the humble of heart, to those who truly fear the LORD and tremble at His greatness, those who run to His love and receive His mercy. Never will those who stand before God in boastful declaration of self-worth find any footing before the LORD. 

So, then, what do we do in the meantime? How do we live this humility? Simple: by "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."  Did you know that holding onto anxiety is a sign of not trusting in the sovereignty of God? We cast all our anxieties on Him because we cannot carry them ourselves. We hold onto our anxieties because we believe that we can find our own solution. But look at the tender mercy and loving grace of our LORD Jesus--He cares for you! He knows the hardships faced, He understands the fear, and He calls upon you to trust Him in the face of it all. 

Knowing the trials faced by the recipients of Peter's letter, this encouragement would be tremendous. And it is for us today as well. Persecutions, hardships, hatred and sufferings are part of the experience that Christians face. And, in all those things that bring you to an anxious disposition, cast it upon the LORD and trust His care. 

Humble yourselves and wait, beloved. If you belong to Jesus, your exaltation is in His hand. He will lift you up in due time. And though that time might not be on this earth, it will then be all the more glorious when you and I find ourselves in His presence. Until then, cast upon Him your anxieties and trust His care for you.

In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

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