I PETER 5:6-11: “Therefore humble yourselves 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. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

OBSERVATION: What does it mean to be humble? Does it mean to devalue your worth, to diminish your ability? Absolutely not! This is false humility, not the humility that the Lord is calling us to. To humble oneself under the mighty hand of God means to clearly place your life in the proper relationship to the Lord. He is the potter, we are the clay. He is omniscient, we are limited in our understanding. He is infinite, we are finite. We see only the present moment, He sees eternity. We are His creation, He is our Creator. When we see the Lord for who He truly is – it naturally humbles us and places us in the proper position where He can lead us, provide for us, sustain us.

It should not be hard for us to do this if we truly understand the heart of Father God. He cares for us, He is always watching over us. He is for us – not against us! We do have someone who is against us – the enemy of our souls, the devil. He is the one who wants to weaken us, devalue us, and cause us to doubt the gifts that the Lord has given us. He is nothing but an old roaring lion with no teeth that is trying to use fear to herd us into defeat (the pack of young lions who will kill us).

When we humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God we position ourselves in the place of safety and protection. It is in the “cleft of the rock” that we are able to resist the devil. It is not our battle, it is the Lord’s. Faith is entering into this place of rest, trusting in His Word, walking after His Spirit. Everyone is going through this same testing. Life is a constant choice of how we will position ourselves – under His mighty hand, or under our weakened hand. It is the weak that get picked off by the pack of hungry lions. Those who trust in the Shepherd of their souls have this sure promise – “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

So, how are you positioned for the next battle in your life? Are you running to the front lines trusting in your own strength and wisdom, or are you running to position yourself under the mighty hand of the Lord? The first is pride, the latter is true humility. Lord, help me to walk in true humility before You at all times. May you lead, guide, and sustain me by Your mighty hand. In Jesus Name!