More on Finding Real Peace

In review of James 4:6 it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”

Bottom Line:

God will oppose those who are proud, but generously give grace to the humble.

What this means to me:

God will oppose and resist me if I become too proud, but will provide his grace and kindness when I am humble.

Today's verse comes from the first part of James chapter 4, where James speaks of how to draw close to God. He says that becoming a friend of the world and it's desires will put you at odds with God. God will give grace generously. As the scriptures state, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." So we are to humble ourselves before him and he will come close. We are to not let our loyalty become divided between God and the world. Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

As I learned the other day, to find a real and lasting peace with God, myself and others, I need to first reach a moment of clarity.  Today I learn that I must also express an attitude of humility in my life.

God will bless humility. The Bible says in James 4:6b, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (ESV). Grace is the power I need to have peace in my life. God opposes the prideful, but he gives grace to the humble. So I must exchange my vanity for his serenity.

In all my time walking with God, I believe that God is not impressed with my whining about things. Humility, on the other hand, touches His heart. If I humbly ask God for help, he ultimately will open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out his mercy. Humbly admitting that he is God and I am not becomes a great antidote for stress.

Isaiah 26:12 says, “Lord, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you” (NLT).

Today I also consider that the reason I’m alive right now is because God made me to love me. If God hadn’t wanted to love me, I wouldn’t exist. Therefor I was made by God and for God. And God wants me to learn to love him back.

So if I want real peace, I need to come to him and admit that “all I have is held together by him and not myself.” God created me and I humbly need to admit that I need him.

In reality, I’m broken. Other than Jesus, every person who has ever lived has been broken. This is why I don’t have peace. It’s why I walk around with stress. It’s why I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired. It’s why I can’t solve all of my own problems.

To have peace, I need to humbly admit to God that I’m broken.

The Bible provides me a practical way to express humility, as expressed in Philippians 4:6: “Don’t worry about anything.”

This is a very difficult verses in the Bible to obey. I break it every day. But worry on my part is assuming responsibility that God never meant for me to have. Today I will consider that If God tells me not to worry about anything, that means he will help me to stop worrying so I can have peace.