The Dark Side of Success

Scripture Read: Judges 8:22-23 then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.” But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

Application: What an example this passage should be for us! Here, Gideon has stepped out in faith, denied the obvious odds against him in this battle, defeated the enemies of Israel, chastised the brethren that refused aid and personally brought justice for his brothers against their killers. What man would not think he deserved the right to be king over his people? 

This is where we see the difference in an egocentric mindset and a mind that desires God! Gideon felt great about what he had accomplished, but he had no delusion of Who really won the battle. He did not think that his might had delivered Israel! This truth is why we must be even more careful with our successes than our failures! When we fail…the natural outcome for those that are honest is humility. If you are not, it is usually borne from some kind of defensiveness. However, when we are successful it is very easy to begin to think “we are all that!” This reaction is a formula for disaster that may range from missed opportunity to severe judgment! Many look at the history of Israel and wonder why she has had so many struggles. The answer was given and warned by the Lord right before Israel went into the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 8:11–14 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; ¹² otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, ¹³ and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

When we are lifted up by success we can begin to believe our own “press”. If we continue down that path…we could be in for a very rude awakening!

Acts 12:21–23 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. ²² The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Be careful…your pride can make a meal of you! The next time God blesses you, answers a prayer, gives a victory or someone admires or compliments you…enjoy it! That is good and God desires us to enjoy those positive things. Still, keep a heads up on your ego. When used, as it should be, all the positive things God brings into our lives should be fertilizer for gratefulness and thanksgiving. If not watched though, it can become fertile soil for pride, independence and arrogance.

Meditation Questions: When you receive applause from men, what do you feel? What should you enjoy? Why? What should you be careful of? Why? Do you think God wants us to feel good about the things we do well? Why? Why not? Is God egotistical if He wants us to acknowledge His part in whatever we accomplish? Explain. It sounds right that “God should get the glory” but is that true? Explain. Does God need to be glorified because He craves it? Explain. If He does not crave it, why then does the scripture say we should do everything to the glory of God? Explain. Why is this even important?