Humility is Casting Your Cares upon the Lord

Friends, today, I want to share with you something profound from 1 Peter 5:6-7.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Understanding Humility

Humility is often misunderstood as weakness or carelessness, but in the biblical context, it's a powerful act of trust and surrender. That’s literally what humility is about. When the Apostle Peter instructs us to humble ourselves, he’s inviting us to embrace God’s love and care for us. He’s inviting us to not lean on our own understanding, abilities and might.

The phrase "casting all your care upon him" is crucial to understanding humility. To cast means to throw something forcefully. It’s not like a gentle placing down; it's an intentional act of releasing what we carry - what burdens us. Imagine throwing a heavy sack off your shoulders, it’s a relief. That’s what God invites us to do with our worries. That’s what the Apostle Peter calls “humbling ourselves”.

Why Should We Do This?

Peter gives us a profound reason: "because he cares for you." He loves you. He has an unimaginable and intimate concern for you. He is deeply interested in our lives, and He wants us to trust Him with our deepest fears and worries.

Hebrews 4:15-17 tells us, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Now, if this great divine opportunity has been given to us, why do we want to hold unto our cares and understanding? Why not embrace His love for you through Christ and cast your cares upon Him? Pride is what stops us from doing so. Pride makes us feel in-charge and in control of everything. It makes us feel we know better and can do better for ourselves without God.

Here is what we can do to walk in true humility and receive the Lord’s help:

• Don’t take for yourself thoughts of your life: Don’t live as though God can’t and will not take care of you. He can, He will and He has. He has loved you deeply as He has loved His son Jesus Christ. Embrace His thoughts for you through His Word.

• Give thanks always: in everything, give thanks to the Lord. For He has loved you with everlasting love and is working all things together for your good.

• Trust God’s Timing: The verse says, "At the proper time he may exalt you." Trust that God’s timing is perfect, even when it doesn’t align with our expectations. Trust in the wisdom of His timing and trust that He will manifest that which is yours in Christ Jesus by His Holy Spirit.

Friend, be at peace. The Lord your God is a loving Father. He cares for you. Humble yourself and trust in His love. God bless you!