"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." 1 Peter 5:6

There are two very difficult tasks that are mentioned or implied in this verse. The first is to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand. Usually when we think “God’s hand is upon so-and-so," we mean that God is blessing that person, using them, empowering them. That does not appear to be the meaning here. “Enduring” times of blessings is not difficult. What I think Peter is referring to is a time of persecution (4:14), trials (4:12), and suffering (4:15). These things, like God’s blessings, have come to us by God’s permission and we feel the heavy burden of God’s hand upon us at such times.

We are not to react to such times by complaining to God, being angry with God or even ignoring God. We are to react to trials that God is allowing by humbling ourselves: submission to the trial because we know it comes from God.

I am reminded of certain times while raising our five children when I had to discipline them. It was a trial to them but could be over in a very short time with little pain if they submitted. Sometimes a child would not submit. Well, I could not administer the discipline (swats on the back side) until they did. I would not just hit them any place. Finally when they stood still and took the swats we could be done. Usually it wasn’t as bad as they imagined it would be.

We have to learn to humble ourselves and take the trial and learn the lessons God wants to teach us.

The second difficult task is implied. We are to wait for a future “due time” when God would exalt us. Waiting is so hard especially when the time you have to wait is decided by someone else and you are in the dark. In such times, we can only trust God. I wish God would have healed me early on in my sickness, but then I might have missed meeting someone that needed my encouragement or counsel. I wish that God would have healed me before the chemo destroyed the nerves in my hands making it hard to type or even button my clothes, but He decided that I needed this painful experience. When will God heal me? In due time and until that time arrives, I can only wait and trust.

I recall a time when I was small and got sick at school. The school nurse called my Dad to come pick me up. He took, what seemed to me to be, forever to get to my school. Finally, he drove up and I got in the car to go home. On days like that Dad always made one stop on the way home – to buy me an ice cream. In due time my Father will send me what I need and it will be the comfort that I have longed for.