Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication. (Psalm 30:6-8)
Many of us were raised by parents and grandparents who placed a premium upon a good work ethic — i.e. work hard and take pride in our work. There was the likelihood that, if we followed this pattern, we would succeed and prosper. There is nothing wrong with this notion unless we are seduced to believe that we alone are responsible for our prosperity and success. To convince ourselves that we are, in our own might, impervious to failure is the epitome of pride and arrogance. Apparently, there was a season that David fell into this errant way of thinking hence the statement, “I shall never be moved.” This is a dangerous mindset to adopt because we risk offending the One who gave us the gifts and skills to succeed — as it is written, “it is the LORD who gives you power to get wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
In the book of Daniel, the great Nebuchadnezzar was warned against such thinking even though, at the time, he was the most powerful man in the world. There came a day that, as he strolled through his palace, he was overcome with his own sense of greatness and said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30). While the words were coming out of his mouth, another voice spoke saying that the kingdom would be taken from him. In a very short time, the once great and mighty Nebuchadnezzar was reduced to being no better than a beast in the field. The point is, no one should ever think of themselves more than they ought; God alone raises up and He can very quickly bring down the arrogant.
Thankfully, David quickly realized that it was not he who was responsible for his might; the LORD’s favor upon his life is what elevated him to greatness. It was the LORD who sustained and strengthened him. It only took a brief moment of the LORD’s absence in his life to convince David that thinking too highly of himself was a losing proposition. He cried out to the LORD in recognition that, without Him, none can hope to succeed and prosper. And so, no matter our position and status in life, the LORD’s favor or displeasure will determine the outcome. If we should ever think that our talents, our skills and gifts are just that — ours — we have deceived ourselves. Every good thing comes from the LORD and it is our duty to continually recognize this truth and be thankful to Him for His favor upon us, His children.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments