‭‭I Peter‬ ‭5:6‬ ‭

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,” – I Peter‬ ‭5:6‬ ‭

This verse was written by a man who once lived impulsively and often acted before thinking and before understanding. On the night before Jesus was betrayed, Peter confidently said to the Lord, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” ...” (Matthew 26:35), and yet later that same night he denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:61). That same night, when Jesus was arrested, Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. By harming the servant of the priest, Peter could have been judged and faced severe punishment, even death. But the Lord Jesus healed the servant, removing the evidence of Peter’s sin, just as He has done for all of us.

But this same Peter was transformed by the grace of God and filled with the Holy Ghost. God used him to teach the early church, and through his words, He still teaches us today, saying, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God”. Yes, Peter was impulsive, but his love for God was genuine.

And if we are honest, we see ourselves in him. We live in this flesh, and too often it pulls us into sin and away from the will of God. When fear took hold of Peter, he denied the LORD Jesus. There was no excuse for what he did, just as there is no excuse for our own failures. Yet God, who is rich in mercy and grace, always reaches out to us. He gives us what we do not deserve and offers us another chance to make things right, just as He did for Peter.

Peter came to understand what he once lacked and what many of us still struggle with today, and that is humility before God. Humility does not come naturally to us. We are born in the flesh, and the flesh produces death. It is filled with pride which leads to sin, chaos, and a broken life. From a young age, we learn to compare ourselves with others, to compete, and to prove our worth. We chase brands, status, and appearances because we think that make us look wealthy successful and important, believing they will somehow give us value.

Pride reaches far deeper than what we wear or what we own. Families are broken because of pride. Jesus said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” (Matthew 19:8). Divorce was never God’s desire. It was permitted because hardened hearts refused humility. Many people argue about the grounds for divorce, especially sexual immorality. But if we are honest before God, we must admit that all of us have been unfaithful in one way or another. From the beginning, humanity has chosen disobedience. Adam chose Eve over obedience to God. Israel repeatedly chose idols over faithfulness to the Lord. Time and time again, God’s people turned away from Him.

By our sin, we all deserved separation from God. Divorce means separation, and God had every right to separate Himself from us. Yet look at how God responded. He did not respond with pride, as we often do. He did not say, “You failed, so I am done.” Instead of choosing judgment, He humbled Himself and put on human flesh. He was declared as the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He went to the cross, died for our sins, and rose again so that we could be reconciled to Him. This is humility.

Humility brings reconciliation. Pride brings separation. When we choose humility, we choose people over pride, restoration over being right, and love over judgment. In the same way God chose us over judgment.

Humility is very important before God. There is no true repentance without genuine humility. It is the moment we kneel before Him and honestly say, “LORD Jesus, I am wrong. I am a sinner, and I need You to save me from the mess I have made.”

Humility is also an open door in many ways. As we have learned, it opens the door to reconciliation, forgiveness, and salvation. Humility is yielding to God, relying on Him, and depending on Him at all times. It is acknowledging that God is God in our lives, not us. This is where we begin to understand why Peter says, “that He may exalt you in due time.” When God truly sits on the throne of our lives, in our minds, our hearts, and our souls, He is faithful to bless us in ways only He can. As it is written, By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life (Proverbs 22:4) and Before honour is humility (Proverbs 15:33) .

When we walk in meekness before God, we learn not to lean on our own understanding but to trust in Him. We begin to acknowledge Him before we act, before we speak, and before we decide. This shows a willing heart. God will not force Himself on anyone, because He honors the free will He has given us. He works with those who are willing to walk with Him. And as His Word promises, God will direct our paths, because a humble heart is always willing to walk and work with Him.

If you desire to be exalted by chasing pride and the approval of this world, it may make you look successful and wealthy on the outside, but inside you will still feel empty. You can have the titles, the money, and the applause, yet your soul will remain unsatisfied because pride promises fulfillment but never delivers.

But when you humble yourself before God, something changes in a deeper way. God opens doors you never knew were there and He lifts you in ways no one else can. He gives honor that does not fade along with riches that cannot be taken away and a fulfillment that reaches the deepest places of your heart.

Peter learned this truth firsthand. Though he was known for his impulsiveness, through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and through intimate fellowship with the LORD Jesus, Peter was exalted by God. He became a pillar of the church not by his own strength or ability but through the power and grace of God working in his life.