Humble Yourselves

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Mixed Emotions - 1 Peter 5:6-7 - Humble Yourselves - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Mixed Emotions – 1 Peter 5:6-7 – Humble Yourselves – Growing As Disciples

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

My Anxiety

I would have never guessed the true source of my anxiety. What’s the true source of your anxiety? I’m not absolutely positive that I am correct. But, it seems to me that pride is the true source of my anxiety. How is pride the true source of your anxiety? Well, my pride has told me that I can handle every problem and that I can work my way out of every difficult circumstance. My pride has told me to keep my problems and difficult circumstances to myself. My pride has told me that I should not want or need help from anyone. So, I should not ask anyone for any help of any kind. Does that include me? I’m embarrassed to say, yes, it has included you. That’s not good. No, it’s not.

How has not wanting or needing or asking for any help of any kind worked out for you? Not well, at all. Pridefully trying to be self-sufficient and self-reliant has only served to fill my life full of anxiety. That should come as no surprise to you. Why is that? Do you think I made you to be self-sufficient and self-reliant? No, I don’t think so, I doubt it. Do you think I made you to live in close and intimate relationships with others and with me? Yes, I do. Would you live in close and intimate relationships with others and me if you never needed any help of any kind? Knowing myself, I would say, no, not ever. Then your needing help is a good thing? Then your needing to rely on me is a very good thing? Yes, it is. I can see that now. 

Will you ask for help? Will you come to rely on me? Will you cast all your anxieties on me? Yes, Heavenly Father, I will ask you for your help. I will come to rely on you. I will cast all my anxieties on you. What will happen to you when you do these things? I will be helped. I will be relieved. The pressure and anxiety that has been filling my life will be released. I will be filled with peace and calm and joy. Why is that? You will be helping me. You will be lifting me up. You will be encouraging me. Why will I be doing all of these things for you? You love and care for me. Yes, I do. You can be sure of that.

Heavenly Father, I have pridefully thought I could handle every problem and work my way out of every difficult circumstance. I was wrong. My pride only served to fill my life full of anxiety. Now, I will humbly cast all my cares on you. I know you care for me. Amen

Key Question…  When has prideful self-reliance caused your life to be filled with anxiety?

Living It Out…  Humble yourself before God so you can cast all your anxieties on Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will lift you up, in due time, as you humble yourself before Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how humility has helped you to cast your anxieties on God.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you humble yourself before God by casting all your anxieties on Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Mixed Emotions – 1 Peter 5-6-7- Humble Yourselves – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Cast All Your Anxiety On Him

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Peace - 1 Peter 5:6-7 - Cast All Your Anxiety On Him - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Peace – 1 Peter 5:6-7 – Cast All Your Anxiety On Him – Growing As Disciples

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

Come To Me

I worry a lot. I have a lot of anxieties. I carry a very high level of stress. I know that worry and anxiety have been harming me physically, emotionally and spiritually. My energy and joy in life has been dragged down and diminished by worry and anxiety. How can I let go of worry? Even when I think I have cast my worries and anxieties on to you I seem to find a way to reel them back to me. How can I cast all my anxieties on to you? That’s a good question. Let me ask you a question.

Do you believe that I love you? Yes, of course I believe that you love me. Do you believe that I can and will help you with what causes worry and anxiety in you? Yes, I believe that you can and will help me with whatever causes me worry and anxiety. Are you sure about that? Why are you asking me if I am sure about that? If you believe that I can and will help you wouldn’t it make sense for you to come to me to ask for my help? You hardly ever ask for my help when you are worried and filled with anxiety. That’s a problem, isn’t it? Yes, it is.  

There are only two possible reasons why you wouldn’t come to me to ask me for my help. What are the two possible reasons for me not asking for your help when I am filled with worry and anxiety? You either don’t believe that I can and will help you or you think that you can handle all your worries and anxieties by yourself. Would you like me to be even more clear? Yes, I would. Your two reasons for not asking for my help when you are worried and filled with anxiety are either unbelief or pride. Maybe it’s a combination of both. You got that right. I am sorry about this. I want to live a life of faith in you. I want to rely on you for your help. I don’t want to be filled with either unbelief or pride. What do you suggest? How can I live a life of faith that is reliant on you?

Come to me. Make it your practice to come to me to ask me for my help. Turn every one of your worries and anxieties into a prayer to me. Trust that I will hear and answer your prayers. As you keep coming to me your faith in me will grow. As you keep asking me for my help your reliance on yourself will decline as your trust in me will grow. You will see that I do hear and answer your prayers. You will know that you can trust in me. As you pray and trust in me your worries and anxieties will be replaced with my peace. Would you like that? Yes, Lord, I would like to be filled with your peace. Come to me. Turn every one of your worries and anxieties into a prayer to me. Yes, Lord, I will.

Lord, I have pridefully thought I could handle my worries and anxieties. I have held on to my worries and anxieties as I worked harder to try and solve them. This has been no way to live. Forgive me. I will now turn all my worries and anxieties into prayers to you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study gGuide click here:

Peace – 1 Peter 5-6-7 – Cast All Your Anxiety On Him – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Cast All Your Anxiety On Him Because He Cares For You

The Prayer Filled Life - Day 86 - 1 Peter 5-6-7 - Cast All Your Anxiety On Him Because He Cares For You - Growing As Disciples

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 86 – 1 Peter 5-6-7 – Cast All Your Anxiety On Him Because He Cares For You – Growing As Disciples

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

Problems 

Problems. Whose got problems? I’m kidding of course. It is one of those terrible, no good days. I feel like I’m under attack. It was a day in which I was bruised and battered. I stood alone, or so it seemed. I know that you are with me. You will help me. You are for me. You are on my side. By that, I don’t mean that you have chosen sides and I am on the winning side. There were no winners today. In conflict, there are only losers. And I was a big loser, at least in my opinion. I have only one way to turn. I have only one thing to do. I will come to you. I will take refuge. In this storm, you are my refuge. I will take shelter in you. That is a very good decision.

Do you find it a little ironic that your verse for today so closely matches your experience? This was your verse, before your day even began, isn’t that true? Do you find that unusual? Do you find that a bit odd? Not at all. Why is that? You have gotten my attention. You are no doubt trying to teach me something. What am I trying to teach you? You want me to humble myself before you. You want me to learn to humbly rely on you. You want me to put all my faith and hope and trust in you. You want me to stop trying to solve all my problems by myself. You want me to ask you for your help. You want me to cast all my anxieties on you. Why would I want you to learn these things? You love and care for me. Yes, I love and care for you.

How would your life change if you did cast all your anxieties on me? I would have far less stress and anxiety. I would be happier and enjoy life much more as I did cast all my anxieties on you. I would be more joyful and be a brighter witness for you if I did cast all my anxieties on you. My life would bear more fruit for your kingdom and glory to your name if I did cast all my anxieties on you. Will you turn your life over to me? Will you humbly rely on me for my help? Yes, Heavenly Father, I will. That will be very good. Today’s lesson will be a very small price to pay if you truly do cast all your anxieties on me. I agree. That is very good.

Heavenly Father, I have been proudly determined to solve all my own problems. I have been foolishly relying on myself. Forgive me. I will now bring all my problems and anxieties to you. I will rely on your help. Thank you that you love and care for me. Amen

Key Question…  What problems and anxieties would you like to give to God right now?

Living It Out…  Give your problems and anxieties to God so you can rely on Him for His help.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that God will help you with your problems and relieve you of anxiety when you bring them to Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how God has helped you with problems and relieved your anxieties.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you humbly rely on your Heavenly Father to carry your burdens and relieve your anxieties.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 86 – 1 Peter 5-6-7 – Cast All Your Anxiety On Him Because He Cares For You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

 

Humble Yourselves

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Character - 1 Peter 1:5-6 - Humble Yourselves - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character – 1 Peter 1:5-6 – Humble Yourselves – Growing As Disciples

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV)

 Due Time

I have lived a backwards life. What do you mean by that? I have thought that life should revolve around me. I have thought that I should be the center of everyone’s attention. I have tried to earn the notice, respect and admiration of those around me. I have chased after honors. I have sought after awards. My pride has led me to seek the esteem and the applause of the crowd. That sounds like an exhausting life to live. Have you ever received enough recognition? Have you ever been able to satisfy your pride filled empty life? No, I have worn myself trying to prove to myself and to others that I was somebody special.

Now, I want to live a completely different kind of life. What kind of life do you want to live? I want to live a life that revolves around you. I want you to be the center of my life. I want my heart and mind and life to be focused on you. I want to know your will and walk in your ways. I want to love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to know you intimately. I want to hear your voice. I want to receive your guidance. I want to follow your direction. I want to go where you guide me. I want to do all that you ask of me. I will humbly follow you. I want to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. I want to do what is pleasing in your sight. That’s quite different from your old life. Yes, it is.

What has brought you to this point? Your old life was filled with pride. Your new life is filled with humility. Your old life was spent serving yourself. Your new life is being spent serving others. I discovered the poverty of my old life. I have discovered the riches of the new life you have given to me. In my old life, I could accomplish nothing of real and eternal value. In my new life, you are making me able to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. In my old life, I proudly tried to elevate myself before others. In my new life, you are helping me to humble myself before you. In my old life, I was worn out, discouraged and empty. In my new life, I am energized, excited and full. You have brought me to this place. You have given me this new life to live. Yes, I have and in due time you will be lifted up as you continue to humbly serve me. 

Lord, I have been filled with pride. I have thought I was a big deal and quite special. I have thought a lot of myself and very little of others. Forgive me. I will humble myself before you. I will rely on you for all I need. I will allow me to use me to serve others. Amen

Key Question…  May you walk humbly with God so that He can exalt you in due time.

Living It Out…  Live a life of humility so that the Lord can exalt you in due time.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will you exalt you in due time as you live your life humbly before Him.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are humbly following and serving the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you live a godly life filled with prayers that the Lord will hear and answer.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Character – 1 Peter 5-6 – Humble Yourselves – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Cast All Your Anxiety On Him

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - 1 Peter 5:6-7 - Cast All Your Anxiety On Him - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – 1 Peter 5:6-7 – Cast All Your Anxiety On Him – Growing As Disciples

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)  

I Care For You

Do you want me to lift you up? Do you want me to relieve you of your anxieties? You’ve noticed? Yes, I have noticed. My life is filled with anxiety. I have been living under heavy burdens. Do you know why you are filled with anxiety and living under heavy burdens? Life is tough. There is a lot to worry about in life. Life is filled with anxiety. There are a lot of heavy burdens to carry in life. That is true if you decide to carry them by yourself. What do you mean by that? What have you done with your anxieties? I’m not sure what you are asking of me. Have you turned all your anxieties over to me? Have you cast all your cares on me? Have you turned every one of your anxieties into a prayer to me? When anxiety and stress has begun to weigh you down have you drawn near to me in prayer? Have you asked me to lift you up? Have you asked me to take any burdens off of you? No, I have not. That has been a huge mistake, of that I am sure. That’s right. 

Why is it that you have not asked for my help? Why have you not turned your anxieties and worries into prayers to me? Why have you not asked me to lift you up and remove heavy burdens from your life? Do you think I will not listen? Do you think I cannot hear? Do you think that I am not able to relieve you of your anxieties and remove your heavy burdens? No, I think none of those things. You must be thinking something else. Yes, I am afraid so. Tell what you have been thinking? I have been thinking that I can handle my anxieties and worries and burdens by myself. I have thought that I can and should be able to solve all my problems by myself. Has that been true? No, just the opposite has been true. Trying to solve my own problems has only caused me more anxiety and worry. The weight of my own burdens has only grown heavier under my own efforts. I’ve noticed.

Is there something you would like to do differently with your anxieties, worries and burdens? Yes, there is. What’s that? I want to humbly admit that I need your help. I will let go of my pride. I will draw near to you in prayer. I will come to ask for your help. I will cast all my anxieties, worries and prayers on you. I will rely on your help. That will be very good. You can be sure that I will hear and answer your prayers when you cast all your anxieties and worries and burdens on to me. Do you know why that Is? Yes, you care for me. Yes, I care for you far beyond what you can think or hope or even imagine. 

Lord, my life has been filled with anxiety. My pride has made me slow to turn my anxieties over to you. I have foolishly tried to work my own way out of my anxieties. My efforts have made me more anxious. No more. Instead, I will cast all my anxieties on you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Prayer – 1 Peter 5-6-7 – Cast All Your Anxiety On Him – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com