Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Devotional Thoughts
By Gary Wilkerson
“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (1 Peter 5:5).
How amazing it would be if all believers were walking in humility! How attractive the church would be to a lost, hurting, broken world, and how healing for people who have been wounded in the house of the Lord. And further, how wonderful and glorious it would be for our Father to see his church putting on the garments of humility.
Some may think that being humble means not offending others when, in reality, that is man-pleasing rather than God-pleasing. The world may despise humility but as we see in this passage, God exalts those who walk humbly. It is not always easy to walk in humility; actually, it is impossible without the grace that God promises.
Humility is necessary in order to have the outpouring of God’s blessings. The opposite of humility is a domineering attitude, a person who is always commanding, always exercising authority without any kind of mercy or grace. Peters says we are to clothe ourselves in humility. I always thought humility meant stripping off things, taking away, getting down to nothing. But Peter is saying humility is putting on certain things.
One of the ways to grow in humility is to put your complete trust in God. “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). It is impossible to cast your cares onto the Lord until you first know that he is mighty; you would not cast your cares on God if you thought he was going to let you down or fail you.
Humility frees us from the arrogance of saying, “I can take care of myself,” and empowers us to trust the strong hand of God. It brings us to a place of peace, grounded and established in him. Determine today that you are going to grow in humility by allowing God to orchestrate the events of your life. Humble yourself before him and in due season he will exalt you (see 1 Peter 5:6).