1 Peter 5:6-7

Devotional Thoughts

By David Wilkerson

Here is God's perspective on how we grow in our passion for Christ: We see our need for humility. And humility is, at its core, total dependence on the Lord. The word "dependence" means "trust for all things, in all things."

Only total and complete trust makes a person humble. This means having no agenda, no self-will and forfeiting all rights. It also means knowing who has power for all things and turning to him in faith for his supply. Genuine trust doesn't stop at saying, "I'm weak." It also declares, "He is strong." Such dependent trust requires humility.

Peter writes, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6). How do we humble ourselves before God's mighty hand? Peter tells us in the next verse: "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (5:7). The apostle makes it plain: "Humble yourself by casting your cares upon the Lord. Humility requires trust. To be humble you have to trust God's goodness toward you."

Jesus himself set the example. "Christ Jesus…made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself" (Philippians 2:7–8). How did Jesus humble himself? "[He] became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (2:8).

Jesus is our example of a humble man. The Lord who created all things and for whom all things were made was wholly dependent on his Father. We see Christ's passion for the Father not just in his long nights of prayer or the miracles he performed, but in his total dependence.