Be
Humble – Be Valiant: 7 Keys to Casting Cares
1 Peter 5:6-7
Given the facts of who God is versus who we are we have
no grounds for argument against humbling ourselves before our Maker. (Please
see my previous post, "Me vs. God.")
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of
God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He
cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV).
“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an
earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter,
‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?”
(Isaiah 45:9 NASV).
As we continue in humility before God, He will exalt us
when the time is right. Now, wouldn’t you rather be elevated by God Himself
when the time is divine according to His unquestionable wisdom than strive to
raise yourself up in an artificial or self-serving manner? I certainly would.
Have I always restrained myself? No. And this has led me
into some embarrassing moments. “God,
please help me to wait on you and allow You to elevate me in due time, because
You are all knowing and wise beyond my imagination. In Jesus name—Amen.”
In God’s divine time He will make you
shine.
I’m not saying I have some burning desire to stand out as
a shining star—that’s uncomfortable. But I do have some things to say which I
believe will help others.
Meanwhile, Peter calls us to cast our cares onto God,
“casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Cast
your cares on Him,” is one of the most quoted truths of the Bible. I say it
often and am comforted by adding the second part of the verse, “for He cares
for you.” Is this a verse you often quote?
What comes to mind when you think of cares? We probably think of worries, trials, burdens, anxieties,
etc.
The word, care
in Greek is merimna, from the root
word, meiro, which means “to divide.”
The literal meaning is “to be anxious beforehand about daily life,”*
Woah! Does this not describe the way we go through some
days? For some people this describes their every day. It’s no wonder so many
people suffer from various psychosomatic disorders.
It’s imperative that we know deep in our knower that God
cares for each of us. To be reassured of that truth read Psalm 23 and meditate
on each line.
Before moving to the next passage lets spotlight the
phrase, “under the mighty hand of God.” There is no limit to the mighty hand of
God. We, as mere humans, are clueless of
the power contained therein. The hand of God is mentioned at least 1265 times
in the Bible, according to BibleGateway.com.
One of my favorite passages is Isaiah 48:12-13. “’Listen
to me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the
Last. Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth. And My right hand
has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand up together.’”
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of
God” (1 Peter 5:6a).
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him,
steadfast in faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your
brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV).
This passage is clear-cut with instruction and warning,
but let’s expand it a little with the Amplifies version. “Be
well-balanced—temperate, sober-minded; be vigilant and cautious at all times,
for that enemy of yours the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce
hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. Withstand him; be firm in
faith [against his onset], rooted, established, strong, immovable and
determined—knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood
(the whole body of Christians) through the world.”
In these verses (6-9) Peter gives Seven Keys to Casting Cares and trials we face as we navigate this
fallen world:
1-
Live humbly before God.
2-
Cast your cares on God being confident that
He cares for you.
3-
Be sober-minded and self-controlled.
4-
Be vigilant—constantly watchful—alert to the
tricks, traps, and triggers of the devil.
5-
Resist the devil, withstanding his every
attack, scheme, and temptation.
6-
Be steadfast in faith, careful not to let
down this shield, as it is your first line of defense. Our shield of faith
guards you and deflects Satan’s flaming arrows. (Ephesians 6:16)
7-
Be aware that other followers of Jesus face
trials, persecutions, and temptations just as you do. All are in the same boat
so need not develop a victim mentality and be waylaid by self-pity or false
humility.
If we take to heart Peter’s counsel we will better
understand things that are happening to and around us. We won’t be shocked by
evil doers and illogical craziness that goes on in the world.
We can go through our days, mindful of God’s minute by
minute involvement in our lives. His Holy Spirit is reliable in us to help us
valiantly do the work we’re called to do as warriors in God’s army. He’s well
able to arm us as we assist Him in equipping the saints and building His
Eternal Kingdom alongside our King Jesus.
Thank you, Father God, for Your steadfast love, Your
Mighty Hand, and Your abundant provision. In Jesus name—Amen.
©Copyright
2018 Connie Wohlford
*Word Wealth for 1 Peter 5:7, Spirit Filled Life Bible,
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991, page 1915.
