God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)
When we are facing the storms of life, we always have two choices: We can humble ourselves before the mighty hand of Providence or we can grumble. I have a sinful nature just like you do, and I will readily admit that it is far easier for me to grumble than it is to humble myself. In other words, it is far easier for me to resist the providence of God, especially when it is a painful providence, rather than to humbly receive it. But this will not be the case for those who see God’s sovereign hand behind everything that happens in life
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
God’s Word is telling us to submit and surrender to God’s providential working in our lives, both the pleasant and the painful. Now, the only way we can possibly begin to do this is to see God’s mighty hand behind everything that is going on in our lives. Paul exulted that “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Romans 11:36 NASB). God’s hand is behind our accomplishments and our adversities. God’s hand is behind our happiness and our heartaches. As my seminary professor Dr. Sproul was fond of saying, “If there is one maverick molecule in the universe, you cannot trust God for anything. Either God is in control of everything or nothing.” The clear testimony of Scripture is that He is in control of everything. “He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?'” (Daniel 4:35).
The Bible is filled with accounts of those who understood and lived out this truth in their lives against all odds. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and spent years in prison in Egypt. But God was with Joseph and blessed everything he did. Eventually, Joseph was raised up to the position of second in authority in all of Egypt. When famine struck the land, his brothers came to Egypt looking for food. When they arrived, they got the food they were looking for and the forgiveness they could have never imagined. Joseph made it clear that he saw God’s hand behind everything that was happening in his life when he told his brothers, “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8).
Joseph knew that God had used even the sinful acts of his brothers to accomplish His perfect purposes. Joseph could have grumbled about his misfortune, but he chose to humble himself under the mighty hand of God. And because Joseph chose the way of humility, God did indeed “lift him up in due time,” as 1 Peter 5:6 promises.
What God did for Joseph, He will do for you and me if we will exchange our grumble for humble.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 