Journey to Contentment - Part 3

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God

that at the proper time He may exalt you,

casting all your anxieties upon Him,

because He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Offering a Humble Heart Before God

This point takes us further along Linda Dillow's book to the chapter called "Worry is like a Rocking Chair". (I didn't go in order of chapters for my acrostic) She hits the nail right on the head with that title! Worrying "will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere"! That's so true.

There are certain things that never really worry me. I know God will provide financially. I never worry about not having clothes on my back or a roof over my head. God has placed so many wonderful people in our lives that always seem to be right there when you need them. We have seen God work in these ways over and over again.

But then again, there are other things that can sometimes really get to me. When I first started reading this chapter, it was miscarriage. 

When I found out that we were expecting again I was *delighted!* So happy and excited. So thankful that God would give us another child! And then the sickness began and my spirits began to sink. (I found with both of my pregnancies that this was a very low time for me.) And then worry hit me like a dark cloud. Every time I thought of being pregnant I felt discouraged and afraid. I couldn't fulfill my daily tasks. Even doing laundry and cooking for my family was really hard! 

The reading in the chapter started to make me think about and wonder why I was so fearful and angry. I realized that it was because I knew that it wasn't just the wicked who lost their babies. It was the children of God too. I started thinking of other things that worried me like rape, murder, car accidents, etc. God allows these things to happen to His children!! I heard about a missionary whose orphanage was broken in to. Her husband was killed, she was raped! God why would you allow that!? They were serving you in a foreign land, sacrificing comforts for your name's sake and you would let this happen? I was angry! If I wouldn't let things like that happen to my children, then why would God let them happen to His?

And then I read "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the might hand of God". Let me quote from Dillow. She says it well.

"Many of us have memorized 1 Peter 5:7 and tucked it away to be pulled out whenever we have a problem. Too often, though, in applying the wonderful part about "casting all your cares" we forget the first part about "humbling ourselves under the sovereign, mighty hand of God." Not only are the two verses one thought, they are one sentence! They must be read together and applied together. 

What does it mean to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God? Humility means to have total trust in God alone. It is the surrender of our total being -- intellect, emotion, will, plans, and judgments. It is relinquishing everything. For me, humbling myself involves yielding to God as the Blessed Controller of whatever situation or person is causing me anxiety."

 Somewhere along the line, I made a mistake about God's character. He is the Blessed Controller. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. His ways are higher than my ways (Is. 55:9). He can see the whole of creation from beginning to end whereas I can only see one little tiny part. God doesn't just forget about us little specks of dust on this earth (although he has every right to!). He hasn't just forgotten the Moms and Dads who have gone through the terrible loss of a baby. He hasn't just forgotten about that missionary. He has planned everything for a purpose, for His Glory, for our good.

And even though I will never understand it this side of heaven, I just know that I need to humble my heart and trust Him, for he cares for me.