So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. —Acts 12:21-23 (NKJV)
Having established in the previous articles how important it is to give God all the glory, you must understand that apart from recognizing His role in your life, giving glory to God is a display of humility. Every time you give God the glory, you are reflecting the nature of humility.
One of the things humility does is lift you up. The Bible says:
But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” —James 4:6 (GNT)
Did you see that? Every time you give God the glory, you position yourself for a lifting. However, when you take all the glory for yourself, you put yourself in a place where you will be resisted. The one who resists you is not the devil, but God Himself.
Why? Because God hates pride. The Bible lists seven things that God hates, and the first one on the list is a proud look:
There are seven things that the Lord hates and cannot tolerate: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind that thinks up wicked plans, feet that hurry off to do evil, a witness who tells one lie after another, and someone who stirs up trouble among friends. —Proverbs 6:16-19 (GNT)
Anyone who feels they are where they are solely by their own hard work or strength is displaying pride, and that attitude can be detrimental. It is best to genuinely give God all the glory because He deserves it.
This is not to negate the importance of hard work or working smart. These attributes are important, but they are not the only things that build or establish a person. Grace is what makes these attributes produce results.
The idea here is that you must combine these two attributes. Do not ignore hard work, and do not ignore God’s grace. The combination of these two things is what builds and establishes you in life. Therefore, take these things seriously and always remember to give God all the glory. Without Him, we can’t achieve much or attain the heights He wants us to reach. Praise God!
Today’s Rhema
Do not ignore hard work, and do not ignore God’s grace!
Confession for the Day
Father, I thank You for helping me understand the importance of hard work and Your grace. I choose to combine the two of them in all my dealings. As I do, may Your name be lifted, and may all the glory return to You, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
