B.C.P. Trinity 3 1 Peter 5:5

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. ⁶ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹ Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. ¹¹ To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

PRAY

Peter was writing to Christians who were being persecuted for their faith

Gives them practical advice on how to live for God.

5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

We are to be humble. Only way to receive grace. Proud resists grace, think they deserve to be treated well by God. Rely on their own efforts. Humble realise they deserve nothing, and receive everything.

Contrast of humility now, and exaltation by God later verse 6.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Have a God who cares so can throw our worries onto him. He is sovereign, can do something about it. A decisive and deliberate act. We can influence nothing by worrying and we cannot change many of the things that we worry about. Next time have we have anything to worry about, don't fret, give it to God.

Bishop Taylor Smith used to write this in autograph books :
"The worried cow could have lived till now,
If she had saved her breath,
But she feared her hay wouldn't last all day,
and mooed herself to death."

Doesn't mean we are to be careless though.
When we visited Chester Zoo last summer the lions were asleep. No surprise, sleep 20 hours per day. Save energy for pursuing their prey. Peter picks up on this picture in verse 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Peter says be alert, self-controlled, aware of the possibility of attack. Ready to face the devil and offer firm resistance. We are in a spiritual battlefield, expand. It affects every Christian, verse 9b. knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

The problems, of cares/persecution, and spiritual attack are temporary and will fade into insignificance in the light of eternity.

There is an old legend of a swan and a crane. A beautiful swan alighted by the banks of the water in which a crane was wading about seeking snails. For a few moments the crane viewed the swan in stupid wonder and then inquired:
"Where do you come from?"
"I come from heaven!" replied the swan.
"And where is heaven?" asked the crane.
"Heaven!" said the swan, "Heaven! have you never heard of heaven?" And the beautiful bird went on to describe the grandeur of the Eternal City. She told of streets of gold, and the gates and walls made of precious stones; of the river of life, pure as crystal, upon whose banks is the tree whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. In eloquent terms the swan sought to describe the hosts who live in the other world, but without arousing the slightest interest on the part of the crane.
Finally the crane asked: "Are there any snails there?"
"Snails!" repeated the swan; "no! Of course there are not."
"Then," said the crane, as it continued its search along the
slimy banks of the pool, "you can have your heaven. I want snails!"

We should not be like the crane, scratching about for the 'snails' of this world. We are pilgrims, destined for a better place.
The cares and problems of this life and our desire for something more should remind us of this. C.S.Lewis, in 'Mere Christianity' wrote, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. "

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Only when we are with God will we be what we want to be and what we were designed to be, perfect, established, strengthened and settled. We can rely on this and praise and worship God who is worthy of praise throughout eternity.

PRAY