Bible Text: 1 Peter 5:5-11 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: 1 Peter, Cross Training

To deal with pride in our lives and develop humility:

-We must realize and accept our position in Christ, finding our satisfaction and acceptance in Him.

-We must realize that all we have (gifts, talent, knowledge, position, means), all we are, and all we’ve accomplished are from God’s hand (1 Corinthians 4:7).

-When we think about others, we should focus on how we may serve them, not on how we compare with them (2 Cor. 10:12,18; Phil. 2:3,4). “…, most of us assume there is nothing we can do to gain this prized Christian virtue [humility] and so we do nothing. But there is something we can do. We do not need to go through life faintly hoping that some day humility may fall upon our heads. Of all the classical Spiritual Disciplines, service is the most conducive to the growth of humility. When we set out on a consciously chosen course of action that accents the good of others and is for the most part a hidden work, a deep change occurs in our spirit” (Richard Foster).

-We must take control of our thoughts, asking “Would Christ thik this way or would He like this thought?” We must not let our thoughts be taken captive by our feelings. (2 Cor. 10:3-5)

-When feeling bad about ourselves or threatened by others we must focus our thoughts upon Christ. (Phil. 4:8)

The primary Biblical example of humility is Jesus (Phil. 2:4-8; John 13:1-17). Others are Timothy Phil. 2:19-24) and Moses (Num. 12:3)
God’s attitude toward the proud (resistance) and the humble (gracious) should be motivation for believers to seek humility.
An attitude of humility that puts others first , submits to others, and serves others may engender anxiety. God is not indifferent to our concerns but rather gives us grace and strength to endure.