I'm at this weird place in life. Maybe you can relate... Since I started THECHURCH.DIGITAL a year ago I've managed to have a lot more control in my life. Spending more time with my wife and kids has been a huge blessing, as well as, the incredible ministry connections and opportunities that have become reality in recent months. God blesses. I am grateful.
An interesting phenomenon occurred. While I should have more control over my life, truthfully, I have less. While I don't punch that timecard, nor do I have a direct supervisor, my obedience to God has led me to a place of more dependence upon Him. He's not my boss. He's my provider, in whom I put my faith. Remember though, obedience comes with a cost. Faith will be tested. Things won't go as I planned. I will struggle. Who or what do you cling to in moments like these?
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:6-7
Peter is pretty clear here that when we humble ourselves before our mighty God, he will lift us up in due time... Wait, what?
He doesn't lift us up instantly.
He doesn't prevent the bad things from happening.
In God's timing, he will lift us up.
So I don't have control, and God won't guarantee bad things won't happen to me?
... if I wasn't nervous before, I am now!
Our humility is based upon the knowledge that God > us, so our anxiousness is really just a weakening of our faith.
Pride, described as me > God, shows itself as my dependence not on God, but on myself. My flesh tells me I know what's best... not God! My fear shows that God doesn't know what's best for me.
But, by being humble before God we acknowledge that he will provide. Why does he provide? Because he cares for us. Because he loves us.
His love defines our humility, which, by way of obedience, defines our life.
It's not my kingdom. It never has been. It's never been about me... This is, it's not ours. It's God's. I'm going to stand before him someday and I want to hear, 'well done, good and faithful servant.' That's all. Good and faithful. That's all. It's not measured on how many we did or what numbers we did. It was 'were you good and were you faithful?' That's what I want to be. That's how we want to be. It's not rocket science. It's as long as you understand that it's His, then we do what we can with what we got.
Randy Kirk, The Church Digital Podcast EP018
Humility calls for us to set aside our pride, and trust God...
Humility shows that our role is determined not by us, but by God's provision...
Humility demands our faithfulness, realizing our ministry is not ours, but His...
Humility defeats our anxiousness, releasing our fears as God truly is > us.
Is this humility evident in your life? In your ministry life?