Do This for God to Exalt You

Daily Devotional – Monday, August 12, 2024
Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV)

Virtually every human being wants to reach the top in every aspect of his or her life. For believers, material excellence is desirable but meaningless if we are not growing spiritually. What, then, must you do for God to exalt you?

Humble Yourself

The apostle Peter provides the answer when he writes, “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6). Peter was far from humble during the three-and-a-half years he spent with Christ. He was conceited, quick to speak, and full of himself.

Yet, when Peter’s time came to be crucified, he asked to be hanged upside down, unlike Jesus, because he considered himself not worth dying like Jesus. While we cannot pinpoint the exact moment Peter experienced the paradigm shift, it is possible that he began mellowing down on the day he denied Jesus and the cock crew three times.

Do This for God to Exalt You

From this and other experiences, Peter learned that for God to exalt a human being, humility is mandatory. When we humble ourselves and submit our lives to God, He begins the process of elevating us. Pride is the greatest barrier to the outworking of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The proud man declares to God, albeit indirectly and subtly, “I don’t need you.” The humble person, conversely, confesses, “Without You, God, I am nothing.” When we admit our profound need for God and His grace, we open the door for God to exalt us in His own time. Do you want God to lift you up? Humble yourself under Him.

Prayer
Almighty God, I want You to exalt me in all aspects of my life. Please teach me to be humble like Jesus.