Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6
One of the biggest lessons God has been teaching me over the last couple of months is about a hidden area of pride in my life. I usually think of pride as thinking I am better than another person, but I have been learning that anxiety is actually a hidden form of pride—and one that is completely acceptable in our society.
This is what happens when I start freaking out: I try to think of every possible scenario that could happen through each decision I could make. Then, I start making backup plans to counteract any negative consequences of my decisions or other people’s decisions.
But when I get into this mode of anxiety, I am making myself like God. I am taking on two of his characteristics: his sovereignty and his omniscience. God knows the future; he knows how a certain situation will pan out. He also is in complete control of my life and of the world. When I am being anxious, I stop trusting God and I begin trusting in my own strength.
The most destructive part of this sin is that we forget to pray because we are so focused on ourselves. Paul tells the Philippians 4:6, ”Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.” God wants us to be humble and realize our insufficiency in ourselves so that we can tap into his power.
