Articles
The Danger of Success - Part 2
Success comes in many different forms. Spiritual success could be something like growth in biblical knowledge or learning to overcome temptation. Financial success could be a new high paying job, a nice raise, or maybe getting to a point of financial independence and able to afford retirement. Physical success could be weight loss, getting an A on a test, or getting married. Whatever the type of success, it’s great to achieve but don’t let your guard down. Satan sees our success as an opportunity to destroy us.
In the last article, we observed that Satan can use success to deceive us into carelessness. This time, consider that success can easily produce pride.
Uzziah became king of Judah at the young age of sixteen (II Chron. 26:1). His father, Amaziah, had acted foolishly and that led to the people of Judah being in servitude to Israel and the nation in turmoil (II Chron. 25:17-28). Uzziah had work to do, but he excelled. It undoubtedly took years of diligent effort, but he became strong and lifted Judah to prominence. “His fame spread afar” (II Chron. 26:6-15). Success! And danger.
“But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly” (II Chron. 26:16). Uzziah’s success went to his head. It led him to think that the unique and holy role of the priests should belong to him as well. In defiance of God and the Law, Uzziah marched into the holy place of the temple to burn incense. His great reign ended that day, as he was struck with leprosy and exiled (II Chron. 26:16-21). In a flash, his success had led to his demise.
It is so easy for us to get big headed. We can think that our spiritual, financial, or physical success is the result of our hard work. We’ve earned it, right? It was all us. Of course, that isn’t accurate. We would be nothing without God. Even if we work diligently, we must acknowledge that we would be nothing without God. We may work hard to get a raise, but would we even be alive to work at all without God’s blessing? “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this and that” (Jam. 4:15). Our lives…every blessing…every success… depends on God.
We must not forget Him the way the Israelites did when they came to the Promised Land. They had to complete a long journey and fight epic wars, but with their victories came a great danger. Moses warned them, “Then it shall come about when the LORD your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Deut. 6:10-12).
Pride is no insignificant sin (as though there were such a thing). It is exceedingly dangerous, and God can’t stand it! He is opposed to the proud (Jam. 4:6). That means, people who get big heads, forgetting that God is the one who blessed them and brought their success, will find themselves enemies of God. That is a battle we cannot win. Like Uzziah, it will bring us to ruin. So you must “humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord” (Jam. 4:10).
Enjoy your triumphs and victories while recognizing who gave you the victory. But be on guard. Don’t let success go to your head.
