What steps can we take to avoid pride after answered prayers? Setting the Scene “ In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who answered him and gave him a sign.” (2 Chronicles 32:24) Hezekiah’s experience is thrilling—death approaching, prayer rising, God intervening. Yet the very next verse exposes a trap: “But Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown him, because his heart was proud …” (v. 25). His story teaches how easily pride can follow a miracle. Why Pride Follows a Miracle • God’s swift mercy can tempt us to think we somehow earned it. • New strength or success naturally draws attention, and applause can inflate the heart. • The memory of desperation fades faster than we expect (Deuteronomy 8:10-14). Practical Steps to Guard Our Hearts 1. Celebrate the Answer with Immediate Gratitude • Say it, sing it, write it—“Thank You, Lord.” • Psalm 116:12-13: “How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me? I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.” 2. Tell the Story Publicly • Share how helpless you were and how powerful God proved to be. • Psalm 66:16 keeps the focus clear: “Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me.” 3. Redirect Every Compliment • When others praise your recovery, promotion, or provision, turn the spotlight back to the Lord. • Acts 3:12-13 shows Peter deflecting credit: “Men of Israel, why are you amazed…? It is the God of Abraham…who has glorified His servant Jesus.” 4. Remember Your Dust Frame • Regularly rehearse verses that highlight human frailty: Psalm 103:14; John 15:5. • Nothing about us explains answered prayer—everything about God does. 5. Keep a Running List of God’s Mercies • A prayer journal exposes the pattern: grace, grace, and more grace. • Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us they are “new every morning.” 6. Stay Accountable • Invite trusted believers to point out any whiff of self-exaltation. • Proverbs 27:6: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” 7. Serve Someone Quickly • Channel renewed strength into humble service—visit the sick, feed the hungry. • Galatians 5:13: “Serve one another in love.” 8. Keep Seeking, Not Coasting • Answered prayer is a milestone, not a finish line. • Philippians 3:13-14 urges pressing on, forgetting what lies behind—victories included. Scripture Reinforcements • James 4:6-7—“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God.” • 1 Corinthians 4:7—“What do you have that you did not receive?” • 2 Corinthians 12:7-10—Paul’s thorn preserved humility after surpassing revelations. • Micah 6:8—“Walk humbly with your God” is a lifelong mandate, miracles or not. The Ongoing Choice Pride grows by default; humility requires intention. Hezekiah’s lapse warns us, but Scripture arms us with practices that keep the heart low even when God lifts our circumstances high. Following these steps, we honor the One who answered and ensure the blessing does not sour into boastfulness. |
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