Don’t let the title fool you. This article is not meant to be morbid or sardonic but is actually intended to provide perspective amidst difficult times.
Consider this passage from 1 Peter 5:5-6 which says, “All of you, cloth yourselves with humility toward one another because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Being humble toward one another. Being humble toward God. Continually humbling ourselves under submission to the Scriptures is a constant task. Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt 23:12).
Can you think of a time when you were absolutely humbled or even humiliated? Perhaps it was when someone wore the same dress you had taken four months to shop for at your friends wedding. Perhaps it was from a divorce, filing for bankruptcy, or finding out your unmarried daughter became pregnant. Certain events, situations, and trials can be humiliating; however, God allows exaltation to follow shortly thereafter if we handle these hardships in a Biblical manner.
Humiliation can present what appears to be a path of pain by doing what is right in the eyes of God.
“A path of pain?” you may be asking. “I’m not sure I understand.” Allow me to explain.
The world views things from an anti-Biblical perspective. For example, if someone were to go to a psychologist for help with depression, the psychologist would more than likely prescribe anti-depressants. However, the problem remains and the drugs only give the person the illusion of feeling better but there has been no remedy because the core problem has not been dealt with.
Biblically, the core problem is usually sin and the solution is repentance and instructing them how to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the Lord (Phil 1:27). The path of pain would be to work through the problem Biblically and allow the Scriptures to be a soothing ointment along the journey. However, most people will choose medical pain killers and allow the problem to remain.
Professionally, I have spent the last thirteen years as a trader in the financial markets. I study trends, economic data, company financials, and market cycles. In all my years of trading, I fervently believe we are on the verge of a financial collapse that will be deep and extended. The number one reason for this prognostication is that our world does not seem to see value in obedience to God from the Scriptures. This is glaringly evident in the lack of wisdom from our government and corporate leaders. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Prov 1:7). Our political and professional leaders seem to neither fear God nor acknowledge His preeminence.
Colossians 1:16-18 says, “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him . . .so that in everything He might have supremacy.” Galatians 6:7 states, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.”
In my humble opinion, most businesses, governments, and individuals are about to travel along an intense “path of pain.” Many Americans are operating from a debtors mentality through extended credit terms, excessive borrowing, and a lack of integrity. As government officials lose their jobs from lack of tax revenue, as individuals lose their homes through mortgage defaults, and as corporations fall from pricing pressures, this will create a downward spiral on the economy and one’s financial portfolio. The Bible says, “The borrower becomes the slave of the lender” (Prov 22:7) and part of an Old Testament blessing was “for the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you” (Deut 15:6). Most Americans have done the opposite. Even our government has now accumulated over $9 trillion dollars in debt.
A path of pain awaits many. Yet, how can I help those who are traveling along this path? How can we embrace this problem and work through it?
The solution rests in the Scriptures. 2 Peter 1:3-4 says God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
It is the Word of God that provides wisdom, peace, and joy amidst the storms of life, various economic turbulence, and social struggles.
Consider the passage we opened with, “All of you, cloth yourselves with humility toward one another because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Step #1: Humble yourself under God. We can do this by submitting our lives to conform to the instruction given to us from the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The first question we should be asking is, “What does the Bible say we should be doing?” Once we search the Scriptures, our next task is obedience. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” We need to be doers and not merely hearers of God’s Word.
Humbling ourselves under God usually involves repentance of sin caused by following our own selfish desires (Rom 6:20), conforming to the patterns of this world (Rom 12:1-2), or flat our disobedience (1 John 1:10).
Pride usually keeps us from being humble. Confess this sin to God and to one another. C.S. Lewis said, “Pride is the one sin from which all other sins flow.” James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
As a nouthetic counselor (www.nanc.org), the most difficult interaction when counseling someone is the confrontation of sin. When sin is exposed, the Biblical response is repentance. However, to repent of sin involves confession, admission of an offense against God, and it takes a tremendous amount of humility. Most people will not repent. Their pride keeps them seeing their sin as rebellion against God where they also miss the grace, mercy, and opportunities for growth through glorious submission to God’s Word. The truth is that mercy, grace, forgiveness, peace and love beyond understanding awaits them through this path of humility.
Step #2: Humble yourself toward one another.
Would you like to learn steps #2 – 5? If so, please email me (littorch (at) mac.com). I look forward to sharing the following steps for those interested . . .