Scripture Reading(s)
1 Peter 5:6-11
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.
Reflections
Anxiety can be defined in many different ways. At the heart of the Christian life, when one experience an anxious heart it is defined as loosing sight of who God is and His complete and sovereign control over your life. A certain circumstance does not sway or thwart God’s plan for your life. When an event takes place in our lives one thing to always remember is that it only happens because He allows it to.
This passage begins with stating that we can place all of our anxieties at His feet because He cares for us. That means that He loves us so much to the point that He does not want for us to walk around with any weight or burdens. Coming to God with our worries means that we are showing that we trust Him to take on our worries and to replace our fear with peace and comfort.
These verses also go one to say that when we allow for our anxious hearts to take over, it also gives room for the enemy to plant seeds of doubt, convincing us that our fears are warranted. Our strength can be found in leaning Christ’s promises that He is strong enough to carry us through any and all circumstances. When we rest firmly in this promise, our situation no longer begins to dictate our thoughts or actions.
Another comforting thought that we can find in this passage is that we can know that we are not alone in our struggle with anxiety. This is a common struggle that most Christians face but it is also one that is compatible with using the truth of God’s word in fighting off our anxious thoughts with God’s promises.
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
Sometimes we can get down when trials come our way. When we are in the middle of a storm it is difficult to look beyond the storm. In the middle of a hurricane, who can possibly afford to focus on anything except the hurricane? But the truth of the matter is that we must focus on the Lord when hard times come. When we focus only on the storm we miss what God is doing.
Additionally, we are not alone in our struggles. As Paul noted, all kinds of suffering is being experienced by our brotherhood throughout the world. Do not feel as though you are alone in the fight. Reach out to your fellow brothers and sisters. They are called to walk next to you in the fire. For those of us who are not in the midst of trials, remember that we are called to bear the burdens of our fellow brothers and sisters.
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