The Danger of Strength
Has God had any part in your success? Let’ talk about it.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.
“After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 12:1).
Self-sufficiency is a much admired quality in many parts of the world. We applaud the woman or man who became successful against the odds of an impoverished childhood, limited education or repeated setbacks. We encourage our children to “make something of themselves,” to be the best that they can be.
But success and strength can become dangerous when uncoupled from reliance upon our Creator God, when we assume autonomy instead of recognition that all we are and all we accomplish are from the hand of a gracious God.
In his book, The Alexander Complex, Michael Meyer writes, “Alexander has been dead for twenty-three-hundred years, but there have always been people who share his spark… They live in the grip of a vision. Work and career take on the quality of a mission… And because (these people) are talented and convinced that they can change the world, they often do.”
Unfortunately, many who pursue such goals begin to think their success is due primarily to their own goodness, wealth or intellect. They either have not heard or choose to ignore a warning God gave His people: “Remember how the Lord your God led you…Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God…Otherwise…your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 8).
God asks us to be strong and courageous, to work hard in and for His Kingdom, and always to recognize the true source of our strength and courage.
Questions: Why is it that when we have a measure of success, we want to take all the credit and leave God out? What warning does God gives His people in Deuteronomy 8, should they forget Him?
About the Author Marilyn J. Ehle
the old nature didn’t hesitate to take that ‘handshake’ or ‘pat on the back’ at a job well done, a promotion well deserved, or took all credit when announcing it was me that saw the marriage was doomed and ‘got out’ before the abuse started. oh, in my life there had been so many times where I congradualated me. my old nature was also lonely, afraid and unloved. so why did i take the credit? because it was all part of God’s plan for me to be where I am today, grateful, humble and never to be abandoned or lonely ever again. when anyone gives me a compliment today, i cannot accept the credit, i give it all to the Lord and sometimes it’s the other person that cannot accept the fact that i cannot accept!
Cathy, thank you so much for praying for me, you don’t know how much that meant to me. Ironically, today was my first day. Thank you so much & God bless you too!
Thank you Lord for Em’s new teaching job. I lift her up today and thank you in advance that you will be with her throughtout the day. Please give her wisdom and safety. Amen
Thank you for this reminder. Pls lift up a prayer for me, as I recently took a teaching job & begin tomorrow. Pls pray God will give me the grace, strength & wisdom I need to succeed (also for safety in the neighborhood I work in). I pray we continue to keep our eyes on God & remember Him & His work in our lives. God bless.
Humbleness, I think it is something we appreciate more as we grow older and more mature in our faith. I am thinking of my young adult children, and I do prayer for humbleness for them. At their age, they work so hard to accomplish whatever they are striving for and it is sometimes hard for them to remember that all they have including their talents are a gift from above. Lord thank you for everything in my life and please remind me to always reflect that in front of my children so they can remember to be humble and thankful.
Thanks Marilyn for your devotion. Such truth you gave and encouraged us. Yes, when we are weak in all things, HE becomes our strength. May I add the other side of having a strength and gifts from GOD? This encourages me even at my retirement age.
1 Kings 3: 7-14. I’ll just let everyone who read my comments to read it and we can find for ourselves Joshua in his old age asking for the land of the giants as his inheritance and to defeat the giants to possess his possession.
When GOD is with us, who can be against us? Greater is HE that is inside us than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
Romel H
Thank you for the reminder to not allow boasting and being proud to be any part of my life, and to give GOD the GLORY for His amazing grace. :)
I try my very best to acknowledge God in every success accomplished. I realize that I can do nothing without HIM.
I always notice singers, actors, actresses, etc. thank god when they are awarded for their accomplishments. In front of live audiences, on stage, in front of the world, they look up and thank god for their accomplishments, their gifts.
If only we could do this in our daily lives, even for the smaller gifts and accomplishments. I am guilty of forgetting and at times taking for granted those accomplishments but try to appreciate where they come from when I do remember to be thankful.
Thanks for sharing this!!!