1 Peter 5:6 KJV
[6] “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”
We should never seek to be exalted before others. Think about how foolish it is to feel we deserve to be above anyone else. If we consider our sinfulness, we must realize that the only thing we truly deserve is a place in Hell. I am thankful for God’s grace, which has saved us and given us a place in His family.
The flesh never rests even though we have been saved. It constantly looks for ways to be lifted up. This is why it is important to humble ourselves before God daily. If we do not, the flesh will rise up and take control. We humble ourselves by going to God in prayer. Prayer gives us the correct perspective of ourselves and our Father. A lack of prayer will produce a spirit of pride in our lives.
There is a question that remains in this verse. When is the right time to be exalted? Our verse teaches that if we humble ourselves, God will exalt us in due time. What does this mean? Why would God exalt His children if He is emphasizing the importance of humility?
First, we must understand that God knows who to exalt. He knows that some cannot handle certain elevations in life, and there are others who can.
Secondly, He knows when to exalt an individual. When the Lord exalts someone, He has already done a work in their life in a way that will not produce pride. We know that He will not exalt a proud person. So, this means that He will exalt those who have humbled themselves before Him.
Thirdly, we must realize what God calls exalted and how men view it can be very different. The Lord elevated Paul but gave him a thorn in the flesh and a life of suffering. If we go back to the Old Testament and think about Daniel, he was certainly exalted by God, but he faced many trials. He lived in Babylon most of his life and experienced the den of lions.
That brings me to my final thought. God exalts men, not for their glory, but for His. We are only exalted to bring glory to the One worthy of praise. God exalts men at a time in their lives when He knows it will not ruin them but point others to Him. That is His way of bringing glory to Himself. Dear reader, remember that if God exalts you to do something for Him, it is not about you. We are servants and serve the One who is worthy to be served. Never make life about yourself, but always be pointing others to Christ.