A Humility that Combats Anxiety
11/11/25 Bible Thought (1 Peter 5)
It is a humbling thing to ask for help. Yet, the Christian life was never meant to be self-sufficient but grace-sufficient.
In 1 Peter 5, after giving specific directions for various members of the church, the apostle Peter brings up the subject of humility. Something that is to characterize everyone in the church:
“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5b).
He says all of you—regardless of age, gender, position in the church, if you are a believer you ought to clothe yourself in humility. In essence, we think of ourselves as God sees us. Not too highly, and not too lowly.
Peter then charges believers further to humble themselves:
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Pet. 5:6).
But how do you do this, practically?
In the very next verse, Peter shows us the answer: “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).
In the original Greek verse seven does not contain a standalone command although sometimes it is translated as such. Rather, it is a participle that modifies the command “Humble” that shows us the means by which we ought to humble ourselves. As such, you could translate it: “By means of casting all your anxieties on him…”
These anxieties can be defined as, “a feeling of apprehension or distress in view of possible danger or misfortune—‘anxiety, worry, anxious concern.”[1]
There are burdens we are probably all carrying solo that were meant to be shared with the Lord. Oftentimes when we are anxious it is because we believe the results are all in our hands, but faith trusts that all my ways are held in God’s hands—A God who cares for me.
I plan my way, but the Lord establishes my steps (Pro. 16:9). He is the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11) and the One who works all things together for good in order to conform me into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29). My anxieties will do better in God’s hands than they will ever do in mine.
Interestingly enough, aiming to do everything yourself is actually an act of pride. Never asking for help is sourced in pride. Why? Because it is a humbling thing to acknowledge you need help because then by implication you cannot do it on your own. A man who asks a friend for help in moving furniture confesses, “I am not strong enough to do this on my own.”
This is the very sentiment the Christian needs in life. The good news, however, is that while we are not strong enough to live the Christian life alone, we are not alone.
We have a burden-bearer who goes with us. A Holy Spirit who inhabits us—one who is called the Helper.
Jesus once taught that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matt. 11:30).
Remember, a yoke allows two oxen to pull in tandem. Me and Christ together, yoked up, building the Kingdom here. The goal was never for us to push through and do it all on our own, but to lean on Christ. He is the One who went through every temptation and earthly sorrow like we will never know and yet did it all without sin (see Heb. 2:18; 4:15).
So, perhaps, we ought to use this open door that He has given to us. We know our heavenly Father knows our needs before we ask (Matt. 6:8) and yet He still desires we ask.
Likewise, He knows when we are not strong enough on our own, but He will wait for us to cast these anxieties on Him. Will we take Him at His Word and ask for the help He is ready to give?
[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996) 312.