Today is day ten of the #iheartBible challenge that I’m hosting. If you have joined up, hooray! I’m glad you’re here. If you want to join up, then awesomesauce! Check out the challenge post for details and join in on the linky so we can all read one another’s posts during the challenge. I love Jesus and blogging, so I’m glad to see people joining in. We’d love to have you join, too. It’s not too late!
Today’s verse is 1 Peter 5.7. Read it below in its context (Why do I care about context?):
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
This verse makes me think about the relationship between anxiety and humility. Maybe they are on a teeter-totter. If we have more humility, we have less anxiety weighing us down. If we have more anxiety, are we being arrogant? are we neglecting our humble attitudes?
I wonder this because the first word of the verse continues from the verse before it. I know this isn’t the case in all translations, but I believe this could be significant. And, when I think of my experience, I think of times I have felt anxiety-free. During those times, I was at peace and felt very humble. My attitude during those times was humble and, even though I was confident, I did not think too much of myself.
Speaking of this, I want to clarify. A humble person does not brag about themselves. In the same respect, a humble person does not put themselves down. When I am constantly putting myself down or speaking poorly of myself, I am not being humble. Same for you. Same for your friend who does this, too. In this case, the down-talker is just being mean and disrespectful toward themselves, God’s creation.
Further, to speak constructively about one’s self is not mean and disrespectful. A friend of mine has been working hard to get into better physical condition–to lose weight and to get stronger. One of her friends is unsupportive by telling her that she is beautiful the way she is. We all agree. She is beautiful. But she’s being healthy and making good changes in her life. This is something to encourage and support–not to discourage.
Sorry about my humility rant. Back to the point:
A confident, yet humble person–will they, as a rule, have less anxiety?
An anxious and worrisome person–will they, as a rule, exercise less humility?
In this realm, I’m thinking of humility as realizing that I am not in charge–that God is. That God takes care of everything and that He’ll take care of me after I make a mistake or am a victim of something that feels unfair.
This is tough for me these days. Am I alone? I really want to have it all figured out by now. That’s a silly thought when you realize how young I am.
Do you have experience that may point to this correlation? I don’t have all the answers. Truth.
Love,
