What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.
—MONICA BALDWIN
Pastor Chris, what do you think about the latest Supreme Court ruling?”
“Pastor, what’s your opinion on how to treat the LGBT community?”
“Chris, what’s your view on this terrible tragedy that just happened?”
Every day it seems various people—from members of our church and fellow Christians to reporters and bloggers—ask me what I think about that day’s headlines. Whether it’s about the definition of marriage, a new state law, or the latest shooting, my answer is the same.
“What makes you think my opinion matters?” I say. “What difference does it make what you or I think about this? The only opinion that matters is God’s.”
Of course, we live in a culture that’s social-media obsessed with personal opinions, comments, likes, and retweets. We’ve become the center of our own little universes, and virtually everything around us reinforces the delusion that we can and should control our own destinies—and offer our two cents on how everyone else is controlling theirs. We seem to think everyone’s opinion matters but that whoever can defend theirs the best or shout the loudest wins. But this obsession is really only another major symptom of the cultural cancer plaguing our society—the sin of pride.
It doesn’t matter what our friends on Facebook, our employers’ HR departments, or our favorite celebrities think about anything. If we’re committed to knowing, loving, and serving God, then it doesn’t matter what we think. We have to focus on what God thinks. And he’s given us his Word to guide us in knowing what he thinks. If God has already spoken, then we don’t need to form an opinion. We just need to keep pursuing the way, the truth, and the life that can be found only in Jesus.
This dedicated pursuit requires us to humble ourselves before the Lord and to realize that he knows best—we don’t. It’s not easy, but it’s one of the most important parts of standing strong when the winds of culture start to blow. It’s one of the most urgent warnings we must heed from the example of Daniel.
Full of Pride
So far we’ve focused on culture’s greatest goal (trying to change our identity) and culture’s greatest test (pulling us away from worshipping God). Now it’s time to consider our culture’s greatest sin: pride. Pride is one of those words that has come to be synonymous with self-confidence and strength of character. And while there’s nothing wrong with a healthy sense of self, I believe to stay healthy, we must stay humble. Anytime we feel like we’re better than another person, or another group of people, then pride inflates our egos. Anytime we place ourselves before God, we’re in even bigger trouble.
To stay healthy, we must stay humble.
Pride is a “gateway” sin that offers an open doorway for our Enemy to drop in and tell us just how great we are and how we really don’t need God. It whispers, “Religion is just a crutch for all those weak people! You’re strong; you’re better than that. You’re in control of your life.” These lies embolden us to question God and to start thinking he doesn’t know what he’s doing, to start believing we know more than God knows.
But you and I know that’s not true. God’s Word could not be clearer about the magnificence, power, and holiness of God—or about the sinfulness, weaknesses, and limitations of humanity. Pride is a massive problem that usually creates a chain reaction of massive consequences. This is why the issue of pride appears again and again in the prophetic books of the Bible. It leads to so many other sinful choices and actions.
Prophetic warnings in Scripture are there to get us to turn away from our sin and to return to God. They are also there to point out the consequences if we don’t make a U-turn in our hearts and repent. The book of Daniel places such a warning front and center throughout the entire story, asking us to consider how to live a godly life in an ungodly age.
Pride is a massive problem that usually creates a chain reaction of massive consequences.
Daniel wrote not only to share his experiences and God’s faithfulness in Babylon but also to inform, encourage, and warn other believers in the end times. Covering almost seventy-five years of Daniel’s life, this book bearing his name is more relevant to us today than ever before. As we watch our culture disintegrate into moral chaos and heart-wrenching violence, Daniel’s warning to us echoes throughout our daily headlines.
And it’s only growing louder.
Dangerous Thoughts
The issue of human pride, arrogance, and self-sufficiency has never loomed larger than it does today. People think they can custom design the DNA of their babies, change their gender, or scientifically prevent death. We’re told if we can attain enough money, then we can control virtually every detail in our lives. The need for God is slowly being replaced by reliance on science, devotion to the Internet, and the pursuit of personal happiness. It’s devastating to witness this widespread deception by the Enemy creep into our neighborhoods, churches, and families.
In the book of Daniel, we see these same attitudes in King Nebuchadnezzar. Maybe you’ve heard of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. They were an architectural and horticultural masterpiece, an accomplishment that merged artistic talent with the technology of the day. They were built under the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. With this great feat, coupled with his leadership in conquering the Israelites, he probably felt like he was the greatest king the Babylonians had ever known—maybe he even considered himself the greatest monarch in the world.
Interestingly, the issue of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride did not emerge until after he had committed to accepting the Most High God, the God of Daniel and his people. After witnessing not one but several miracles with Daniel and his Hebrew friends, the king could not deny the power and divinity of this God. In fact, the king made a joyful proclamation:
King Nebuchadnezzar,
To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth:
May you prosper greatly! It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.
How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.
(Dan. 4:1–3, emphasis mine)
The word used for “prosper” here is the same Hebrew word that is used for “peace.” And it encompasses more than just a restful, quiet state of being. This kind of prosperity means peace in our souls, a sense of well-being and fulfillment that nothing can disturb, even if everything around you crumbles into chaos.
But for Nebuchadnezzar peace did not come easy.
His pride got in the way.
Just like it does for us.
As You Like It
Have you ever thought about how destructive pride is in our lives? It’s the root of every other sin. The worst sin isn’t murder or adultery; it’s pride. Pride declares, “I want to be God! I will choose my own way and live as I please.” But, as Nebuchadnezzar’s story reveals, this kind of pride only leads to insanity, the disease of deranged thinking, the inner turmoil of discontent. His story reveals that we can choose either humility or humiliation. One you can initiate, and the other God will initiate.
In fact, God warned Nebuchadnezzar about this and identified three areas where pride often flourishes, choking out humility and a healthy fear of the Lord. The first is prosperity and contentment, a sense of complacency that becomes our entitlement to enjoy all that life has to offer, whatever we want. We’re told, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace, contented and prosperous” (Dan. 4:4).
When times are good, we may not think about God much. If our bills are paid, our family is healthy, and we have enough to eat and a roof over our heads, we might not think we need God. Everything is going well enough without him, right? So why worship God and acknowledge him as the source when we don’t have to? Most of us don’t know how to handle prosperity.
But when times are hard, where do we turn? When our circumstances are beyond our control, when our children are sick in a way that baffles doctors, when our retirement savings disappears overnight, when we’re shocked by the divorce papers, that’s when we turn to God for help. We know we can’t change certain circumstances, and we need supernatural power and intervention to survive them.
If we want to overcome pride in our lives, then we must turn from being self-sufficient back to being God-dependent. We must give him the credit for everything we have and acknowledge that we’re just stewards of these many blessings. God doesn’t bless us just so we can hoard a lot of money and buy stuff. He blesses us to be a blessing for others, to advance his kingdom, to reveal his love through the gift of salvation in Christ.
How do we express our dependence on God? Like so many aspects of our relationship with the Lord, it begins with prayer. God’s Word says, “If [God’s] people . . . humble themselves and pray” then he will hear us and forgive us (2 Chron. 7:14). The act of simply coming before God in prayer indicates a willingness to surrender ourselves to him. Have you ever thought about the “atheism of prayerlessness” and contrasted it with the way we all cry out to God in a crisis?1 True dependence on God relies on prayer as a consistent lifeline—every day and not just when the going gets tough.
I know firsthand that I can do nothing without remaining in constant contact with my Father. So many people ask me to tell them the secret to our health and growth at Church of the Highlands. Several times a year I’ll go to conferences and speak to thousands of pastors, and they all ask the same thing: “How did you get all those people at your church?” I’m used to seeing a look of disappointment on their faces, because I always give the same answer: “Prayer. We stay dependent on God.” There’s nothing flashy or unusual or special. We just pray.
True dependence on God relies on prayer as a consistent lifeline—every day and not just when the going gets tough.
I know that’s the answer to why our church has grown and flourished, because I know very clearly who I am. To be honest, I’m simply not smart enough or talented enough to try and take any of the credit. I was a C student in school—and I worked hard for most of those “average” grades. I used to get so ticked at all the overachieving A students who always had to mess up the grading curve.
The only reason I have had such a strong relationship with the Lord today is because I know who I am on my own and I stay dependent on God for everything in my life. The more our ministries have grown, the more campuses we have, the more members who join us here, as well as in other cities, the more I have prayed and the more I have asked, urged, and requested others to pray for me and our leaders and everyone in our church family and communities.
In fact, you may remember me sharing about the 21 Days of Prayer (21days.churchofthehighlands.com) earlier, during which we commit the beginning of every year to coming together as a church and fasting and praying for three weeks. We listen for God’s voice and seek his guidance. We worship and honor him as the Lord of our lives and the loving Father of our hearts. We do it every January because we want to show God that he comes first, that before we do anything else in a new year, we want to seek him and grow closer. We are dependent on him and him alone.
Whenever I’m scheduled to speak or preach, I always hold a prayer meeting the day before. Back when I was in youth ministry and teaching kids on Wednesday nights, I’d invite about a hundred out of the thousand to come over to my house and pray with me and for me. They always raided my fridge and cleared the pantry, but it was a small price to pay.
Even now—especially now—I meet on Saturdays at the church with a group of dedicated prayer warriors. We pray together, read prayer requests from members, and walk around and pray over the seats where thousands of people will be sitting the next day. Not only does it keep me dependent on God, but it also reminds me to stay humble, to put my ego and my pride aside. Not my will but his.
If there’s any secret, it’s simply to stay dependent on God—all the time.
Where Credit Is Due
The second area where pride undermines our spiritual growth is in our attitude toward getting or giving credit. Do we take credit for what we have and enjoy in our lives, or do we give thanks to God and acknowledge his goodness as the source? King Nebuchadnezzar discovered his answer through a powerfully disturbing dream, which Daniel interpreted.
In his dream, the king saw a magnificent tree whose lush branches provided fruit, shade, and cover for many people and animals. But then a heavenly messenger called out for the tree to be cut down and its various parts dispersed (Dan. 4:5–21). The king’s advisors and magicians could not interpret the dream, so Daniel was brought in. And while Nebuchadnezzar hoped that the tree represented his enemies whom he had leveled, Daniel made it clear this was not the case:
Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth.
Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.”
This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. (Dan. 4:22–25)
Nebuchadnezzar was clearly a legend in his own mind! He praised himself quite a bit—after all, he was the king who built the Hanging Gardens and conquered Israel. But he failed to realize that everything came from God. It was God who equipped him to be king and allowed him to oversee the achievements he so proudly claimed as his own. Every breath, every meal, every relationship, every possession—it all came from God.
Notice the warning, though. It pointed out the natural consequences of such arrogance and pride. It was not a threat of how God would punish him; it was simply highlighting the result of thinking he was better than God. And it’s a warning we would all be wise to heed. If we allow our self-pride to grow, it will lead to insanity. People tend to think God brings judgment, but we bring it upon ourselves.
So what can we do to avoid the same fate as Nebuchadnezzar? What’s the best way to pull the weeds of pride in our life’s garden? Having an attitude of gratitude. Worshipping and giving God thanks and praise yanks out those stubborn thoughts and words of the Enemy, especially the ones that try to give us the credit and not God. When we declare that everything comes from God, it restores our perspective. It straightens out our thinking and reminds us of what’s true. It revives our sanity.
I know it can be challenging to be grateful when you’re suffering through tough circumstances, but I’m reminded of a prayer request I read recently during one of our Saturday prayer meetings. It was from a dear older woman in our church, Miss Anita. She requested prayer for healing from a surgery in which her leg was amputated. Faced with the pain and debilitation of this life-changing condition, Miss Anita also wrote, “Thank you so much for your prayers! I feel so blessed to be here at this church. God is so good to me, and I’m just so grateful for all his many blessings.”
I had to reread her request a couple of times to make sure I understood it correctly. Here was this dear lady with an amputated leg thanking me for praying for her and telling me how good God has been to her. Yes, just so you know, there may have been a slight mist coming from my eyes. That kind of faith and gratitude is a testimony. It’s the exact opposite of Nebuchadnezzar’s gardens and monuments, his military victories and palaces.
Success and prosperity can blind us. We erroneously think we earned it and it’s ours. But the truth is that it’s all God’s. The Bible asks us, “What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you have accomplished something on your own?” (1 Cor. 4:7 TLB). I remember this every time I give a tithe or an offering by praying a simple prayer: Lord, this is yours—all of it is yours. Thank you.
Heaven Rules
Finally, the third area where we must uproot pride in our lives is in our perspective. We must stop thinking that we know best and acknowledge that heaven rules. We see this play out in the last part of the king’s dream. Daniel explained, “The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules” (Dan. 4:26).
God always shows us the way back; he’s always willing to produce new growth from the stumps in our lives. When our pride causes us to fall under the weight of our own arrogance, then we’re forced to humble ourselves and start over. God will meet us there if we’re willing to humble ourselves and ask him. If we’re willing to acknowledge that heaven rules, not us here on earth. This is how we regain God’s favor in our lives.
This is the essence of sin in a nutshell: my way instead of God’s way.
But Nebuchadnezzar learned this the hard way. He went through seven years of living like a madman, a wild animal, out of his mind. He wasn’t allowed to be around his own people. He ate grass and quit acting human (Dan. 4:33). Basically, he lost not only his clarity and peace of mind but his very humanity.
The same is true for us today. When we do not heed God’s warning, our pride causes us to collapse under the weight of our sins. We are living in a generation in which everyone is wise in their own eyes. There’s a complete disregard for the standards set by God’s Word. Think about it: Did you ever imagine yourself living in a culture where phrases like “recreational drug use,” “sex buddy,” and “gay marriage” would exist, let alone be heard every day?
Some people like to call our age “progressive” and imply that God and his ways are outdated and archaic. But this is the essence of sin in a nutshell: my way instead of God’s way.
Whose rules do you live by?
Your own? Or heaven’s?
Sanity Restored
Nebuchadnezzar chose to live by his own rules, ignored God’s warning, and paid the price. The prophecy was fulfilled. We also have ignored God’s many warnings, and now we see the prophecy fulfilled all around us. Where do we go from here?
Fortunately, Nebuchadnezzar eventually came to his senses and returned to God in full humility. He finally heeded Daniel’s advice, wisdom that still holds true as the remedy for our own individual and cultural pride: “Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue” (Dan. 4:27). After his seven years of madness, here’s what Nebuchadnezzar said—which is also what we need to say:
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion;
his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases
with the powers of heaven
and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand
or say to him: “What have you done?”
At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (Dan. 4:34–37)
What a great prayer to pray! God responded immediately to the king’s humble prayer and restored him to a clear mind, a peaceful heart, and a joyful life. God is always ready to respond to a broken heart. He is our loving Father and is always willing to forgive.
Do you want your sanity restored in the midst of a crazy culture? Would you like to have peace in your soul as the turmoil of godless tragedies unfold around you? With the repentant king of Babylon as our example, let’s focus on three steps.
First, exalt the King of heaven. God deserves heartfelt praise; anything less is arrogance on our part. Previously I mentioned my frustration with the way people will go wild at football games and other sporting events but roll their eyes at the thought of raising their hands during a worship song. And sports isn’t the only cultural arena where people engage in passionate worship. Just consider how many thousands of concert-goers remain on their feet, clapping, waving, and singing along with their favorite pop star, rock icon, or touring band.
I have a dream that one day the praise at Church of the Highlands on Sunday will be greater than the praise that happens in football stadiums and concert venues. God has asked us to praise him and even told us how to do it. We owe it to him to give him all the praise we can! Not just in church, but every day. We should be people who are grateful in all circumstances—people others stop and notice because of the way we continue to express thankfulness to God.
Next, acknowledge that God does everything right and all his ways are just. More than ever, accept the authority of God’s Word. Don’t second-guess him. Don’t try to figure everything out. Don’t try to change the Bible to fit what you want it to say. God’s ways are higher—simply accept that as you obey them!
Remember, God doesn’t ask us to try to understand his ways. He knows we simply can’t, so he doesn’t expect us to try. He just asks us to obey him. To trust him. It’s actually very liberating to trust in something you do not have to understand.
We won’t always agree with what he asks us to do, but if we love him, then we still obey him. This is how we let him be God and surrender ourselves to him. The day you do, your sanity will be restored and peace will flood your soul. I’m convinced the day our country returns to its Judeo-Christian values is the day sanity will be restored to our country.
Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.
Finally, walk in humility. This doesn’t mean putting yourself down all the time or being a doormat. “Oh, don’t mind me—I’m just a lowly little speck in the universe.” Some people think this is spiritual, but it’s not. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less.
We can be courageous and contrite at the same time. Walking in humility is an attitude. We’re told, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10). We actually grow closer to God when we’re less focused on ourselves.
We will all certainly be humbled in this life. We can choose to humble ourselves before God, or he will humble us by allowing us to face the consequences of our sin. Nebuchadnezzar reminds us that it’s a whole lot better if we humble ourselves instead of resisting God.
Another powerful example of humility before God is my pastor growing up, Brother Roy Stockstill. I’m so grateful for the amazing Christian heritage I had, both in my family and within my church family. Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was my home church during some of the most formative years of my life. Brother Roy founded Bethany in 1962, and under his leadership it became one of the most influential churches in the world. But he remained one of the meekest, gentlest, most humble men I’ve ever met.
Standing strong in a pride-inflated culture begins facedown.
He recently went to be with the Lord, and I was honored for the opportunity to eulogize him at his memorial service. Brother Roy was known for his “sayings,” and I enjoyed sharing some of my favorites over the years. When teaching on humility, Brother Roy would say, “If you start your day on your face before the Lord, there’s nowhere to go but up. The man on his face can never fall from that position.”
Standing strong in a pride-inflated culture begins facedown.
Humble yourself before the Lord.
And he will meet you there.