When Success Becomes a Snare<\/p>\n\n\n\n
by Chuck Hill — Wednesday, May 28, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s talk about success. It\u2019s something we all strive for\u2014especially in leadership. Whether it\u2019s growing a ministry, launching a new initiative, seeing people saved, or watching your team thrive\u2014success feels good. It\u2019s confirmation that your hard work is paying off. That your prayers are being answered. That you\u2019re doing something right. But here\u2019s the catch. Success, as good as it is, carries with it a hidden danger\u2014pride<\/strong>. Not the kind of pride that shouts, \u201cLook at me!\u201d all the time. Sometimes it whispers: “You\u2019ve got this now.”<\/em> “You don\u2019t need to rely on others so much.”<\/em> “You\u2019re different from the rest\u2014this success proves it.”<\/em> And before we know it, the very success we celebrated becomes the trap that trips us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a pattern that Scripture warns us about\u2014one that leaders should pay close attention to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”<\/em> (Proverbs 16:18)<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not just a poetic warning\u2014it\u2019s a reality we\u2019ve seen play out in history, headlines, and maybe even our own hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how it usually unfolds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Success leads to pride.<\/strong> Pride breeds complacency.<\/strong> Complacency ends in failure.<\/strong> Let me offer a biblical example of what I’m describing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n King Uzziah<\/strong> is a sobering case. Scripture says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”<\/em> (2 Chronicles 26:5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n But later\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.”<\/em> (2 Chronicles 26:16)<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLord, even the demons submit to us in your name!\u201d <\/em>(Luke 10:17)<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Jesus gently redirected their hearts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.\u201d <\/em>(Luke 10:20)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words: Stay grounded. Remember who you are. And more importantly, whose you are<\/em>! (Okay, that’s really good!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what can we do? How do we guard against the prideful drift?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a few practical, biblical reminders:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s a Leadership Challenge for you: If you\u2019re in a season of fruitfulness\u2014praise God. But don\u2019t let that fruitfulness fool you into thinking you\u2019re self-sufficient. The moment we start believing success is our doing is the moment we start walking down a dangerous path. Ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So. let\u2019s do all we can to lead with open hands and humble hearts. Success is a gift\u2014but it\u2019s not the goal.<\/strong> Faithfulness is. And that begins with remembering where we came from, who brought us here, and what we\u2019re still utterly dependent on Him to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGod opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.\u201d<\/em> (James 4:6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n May we always be the kind of leaders who live under His favor\u2014celebrate the victories, but give God the glory! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Success Becomes a Snare by Chuck Hill — Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Let\u2019s talk about success. It\u2019s something we all strive for\u2014especially in leadership. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,20],"tags":[2,32,3,9,70,89,90,100],"class_list":["post-1897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-daily-posts","tag-church","tag-god","tag-leadership","tag-ministry","tag-pride","tag-success","tag-victory","tag-winning"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1897","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1897"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1897\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2598,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1897\/revisions\/2598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1897"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1897"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckhilltoday.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1897"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
We begin to believe we\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We start coasting. Vision fades. Hunger for God\u2019s presence dulls. We stop growing because we assume we\u2019ve \u201carrived.\u201d And in that comfort, the spiritual edge that once defined us starts to erode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not always dramatic or instant\u2014but slow, quiet decay. The kind that wakes you up one day and makes you wonder, “How did I get here?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Regularly thank God for what He<\/em> has done\u2014not what you\u2019ve<\/em> achieved. Gratitude deflates pride.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Like Uzziah at the beginning<\/em>, make it your priority to seek the Lord\u2014not just His blessings, but His face. When the pursuit shifts from God to goals, danger is near.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Pride thrives in isolation. Invite people who can challenge you, correct you, and remind you who you are\u2014and who you’re not.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Jesus said, \u201cWhoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.\u201d<\/em> (Mark 10:43) Pride feeds on power. Humility is fed through service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Pride says, \u201cI\u2019ve arrived.\u201d<\/em> Humility says, \u201cThere\u2019s still more to learn.\u201d<\/em> Keep your heart teachable.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n\n