When Success Becomes a Snare

When Success Becomes a Snare

by Chuck Hill — Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Let’s talk about success. It’s something we all strive for—especially in leadership. Whether it’s growing a ministry, launching a new initiative, seeing people saved, or watching your team thrive—success feels good. It’s confirmation that your hard work is paying off. That your prayers are being answered. That you’re doing something right. But here’s the catch. Success, as good as it is, carries with it a hidden danger—pride. Not the kind of pride that shouts, “Look at me!” all the time. Sometimes it whispers: “You’ve got this now.” “You don’t need to rely on others so much.” “You’re different from the rest—this success proves it.” And before we know it, the very success we celebrated becomes the trap that trips us.

There’s a pattern that Scripture warns us about—one that leaders should pay close attention to:

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

That’s not just a poetic warning—it’s a reality we’ve seen play out in history, headlines, and maybe even our own hearts.

Here’s how it usually unfolds:

Success leads to pride.
We begin to believe we’re the reason things are going well. Prayer gets replaced with planning. Gratitude gives way to self-congratulation. Our hearts start taking credit for what God did.

Pride breeds complacency.
We start coasting. Vision fades. Hunger for God’s presence dulls. We stop growing because we assume we’ve “arrived.” And in that comfort, the spiritual edge that once defined us starts to erode.

Complacency ends in failure.
Not always dramatic or instant—but slow, quiet decay. The kind that wakes you up one day and makes you wonder, “How did I get here?”

Let me offer a biblical example of what I’m describing:

King Uzziah is a sobering case. Scripture says:

“As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.” (2 Chronicles 26:5)

But later…

“But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.” (2 Chronicles 26:16)

So, he went from a godly young leader to an arrogant king who overstepped his role, ignored correction, and ended his days isolated and diseased. Tragic. But not uncommon.

Here’s another example. It comes from the New Testament as Jesus was training his team. After a successful ministry trip, His disciples came back rejoicing:

“Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17)

But Jesus gently redirected their hearts:

“Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)

In other words: Stay grounded. Remember who you are. And more importantly, whose you are! (Okay, that’s really good!)

So what can we do? How do we guard against the prideful drift?

Here are a few practical, biblical reminders:

1. Stay rooted in gratitude.
   Regularly thank God for what He has done—not what you’ve achieved. Gratitude deflates pride.
2. Keep seeking God.
   Like Uzziah at the beginning, make it your priority to seek the Lord—not just His blessings, but His face. When the pursuit shifts from God to goals, danger is near.
3. Surround yourself with truth-tellers.
   Pride thrives in isolation. Invite people who can challenge you, correct you, and remind you who you are—and who you’re not.
4. Keep serving others.
   Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” (Mark 10:43) Pride feeds on power. Humility is fed through service.
5. Never stop learning.
   Pride says, “I’ve arrived.” Humility says, “There’s still more to learn.” Keep your heart teachable.

Here’s a Leadership Challenge for you: If you’re in a season of fruitfulness—praise God. But don’t let that fruitfulness fool you into thinking you’re self-sufficient. The moment we start believing success is our doing is the moment we start walking down a dangerous path. Ask yourself:

• Am I still praying as much today as I did before the breakthrough came?
• Have I started believing I deserve what only grace has given?
• Who in my life can look me in the eye and say, “You’re drifting”?

So. let’s do all we can to lead with open hands and humble hearts. Success is a gift—but it’s not the goal. Faithfulness is. And that begins with remembering where we came from, who brought us here, and what we’re still utterly dependent on Him to do.

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:6)

May we always be the kind of leaders who live under His favor—celebrate the victories, but give God the glory!