“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” (1Peter 5:7)
This verse is actually a part of the previous verse. It’s talking about humbling oneself. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:” (1Peter 5:6) Verse 7 is actually the “how” of verse 6. How do we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God? We let go. We let go of trying to solve our problems, of worrying about them and figuring out what will happen or not happen.
God hates pride. “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5) Pride is taking great pleasure, joy, delight, gratification, fulfillment and satisfaction in one’s own achievements, qualities or possessions that are admired. It’s the opposite of being humble, recognizing that any achievement we may have gained, any qualities that are admired or anything we possess we have because of the Lord’s generosity toward us. The attitude of the proud is self-exaltation and self-satisfaction. It’s a display of self-exaltation and self-satisfaction which is robbery. It’s taking God’s glory for one’s own. Thinking that we can solve our problems is taking too much upon ourselves. It’s taking on what only God can do. That’s pride.
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that Daniel interprets. “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” (Daniel 4:24-25) I’m sure that Nebuchadnezzar didn’t pay that much attention to it. It seems absurd. But a year later when Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace he proudly exaltes himself. “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.” (Daniel 4:30-33)
Nebuchadnezzar was warned. God had revealed Himself to him in so many ways, yet pride caused his demise for seven years until he humbled himself before the Lord. “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.” (Daniel 4:34-37)
We don’t have kingdoms of which to be proud. And yet in our earthly, human tendencies we take pride in ourselves, how we look, how we dress, where we live, what we have or what we have achieved. “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” (Galatians 6:3) When situations arise, we proudly think we can solve it. But we cannot change the circumstances that arise against us. Instead of worrying and thinking of ways to solve a problem, we need to humble ourselves recognizing that the Lord is over all. He is the One Who can change circumstances and men’s hearts.
The end result of pride is manifested in physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual illnesses. God knows how it affects us. Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Here is “the instead” that Jesus offers. Go to Him and follow Him. Jesus told Martha, “...Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42) Only one thing is required and necessary. Mary had chosen, the good part, that which is beneficial, to sit at the feet of Jesus. (Luke 10:39) Jesus adds a curious little phrase at the end. “...which shall not be taken away from her.” In other words, Mary chose the eternal, the everlasting thing. Like Mary, choose the good part, the beneficial and the eternal. Choose to humble yourself before the Lord and give Him all your burdens and all you treasure. He gives peace (John 14:27) and blesses the blessings for His glory.
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