God Will Exalt You at the Proper Time
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:6–7)
In the Old Testament, God’s hand symbolizes two things. The first is discipline (Exodus 3:20, Job 30:21, Psalm 32:4). The second is deliverance (Deuteronomy 9:26, Ezekiel 20:34). When we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, we willingly accept His discipline as being for our good and for His glory. Then we gratefully acknowledge His deliverance, which always comes in His time and in His way.
In other words, we don’t manipulate people or events. We refuse to hurry His timing. We let Him set the pace. And we humbly place ourselves under His firm, steadying hand. As a result of this attitude—don’t miss it!—“He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6 NASB).
I must confess there are times when God’s timing seems awfully slow. I find myself impatiently praying, “Lord, hurry up!” Is that true for you too?
In today’s dog-eat-dog society, if something isn’t happening as quickly as we want it to, there are ways to get the ball rolling, and I mean fast. There are people to call, strings to pull, and strong-arm strategies that make things happen. They are usually effective and always impressive . . . but in the long run, when we adopt these methods, we regret it. We find ourselves feeling dissatisfied and guilty. God didn’t do it—we did!
What does it mean to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God in your job, vocation, or profession? What if you’re not getting the raise or the promotion you deserve? What if you are in a situation where you could make things happen . . . but you really want God to do that?
Think of David, the young musician, tending his father’s sheep back on the hills of Judea many centuries ago, He was a self-taught, gifted musician. He didn’t go on tour, trying to make a name for himself. Instead, he sang to the sheep. He had no idea that someday his lyrics would find their way into the psalter or would be the very songs that have inspired and comforted millions of people through long and dark nights.
David didn’t see success; he simply humbled himself under the mighty hand of God, staying close to the Lord and submitting himself to Him. And God exalted David to the highest position in the land. He became the shepherd of the entire nation!
You don’t have to promote yourself. God will promote you.
Taken from Hope Again by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1996 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. www.harpercollinschristian.com
