Journal Entry ~ 07/26/19

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.  - Psalm 131:1

In contrast to those who think so highly of themselves, are those who struggle to pull themselves out of the pit. These are the people who hear they should humble themselves, and wonder how they could get any lower.  God speaks to these struggles as well. 

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. (1 Peter 5:6–7)

It’s by no mistake that humility and anxiety occur right next to each other in scripture. Anxiety about the future is a form of pride. And it's in direct disobedience to our King when we struggle with fear. 

The Lord is the one who comforts us, who promises to take care of us. So our fear must mean that we do not trust Him — and even though we are not sure that our own resources will take care of ourselves, we often opt for fragile self-reliance, rather than faith in His grace. So all our trembling, all our anxiety, reveals pride.  

Daily, we need to turn from self-reliance to God-reliance, and put our faith in the all-sufficient power of His grace.  Casting our anxieties on God is a way of humbling ourselves under God’s mighty hand.  Making the choice to give our fears to Him and not hang on to them is humility. Trusting that He has got it under control is softness of heart. 

Pride is unbelief that does not like to trust in God's grace for us, and it will hold on the our fears and our anxieties in clenched fists. But there is such freedom in the humility it takes to let all this fears go and cast them on Him. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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