Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 (NIV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV)
So often God reminds me that Christianity is not a passive calling. Salvation is not an excuse to sit back and wait on the rapture. Whether it is actively caring for those around you, witnessing to the lost, or striving for personal spiritual growth, we must do before God will act.
The verses in James and 1 Peter reinforce that point. Both verses remind us that "he will lift you up". BUT that lifting up requires heart action from us. We must humble ourselves.
If we lack wisdom, God will give freely. BUT we must first ask and believe. James 1:5-8
He will "make our paths straight". But we must first submit to Him. Proverbs 3:6
God will "guard our hearts and minds" with an incomprehensible peace. BUT we must first "present (our) requests to Him" in prayers, petitions and with thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6,7
We are called to initiate. We are called to take the first step. If we will be obedient in what He asks, He will pour out blessings beyond what we can ever imagine. But it starts with us.
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