The Path to Greatness
Thursday, May 23, 2013 at 08:12PM
As I’m reading through the Bible this year, I am trying to stay on track with the daily readings. But sometimes the Lord makes me stop. Instead of beating myself up, like I used to do, I stop and listen for what the Lord has to say. I have to put my plans and even the daily reading plan in their proper context. It’s God’s plan that matters most. And His plan is for His Word to take root in my heart and come to life in my actions.
Just recently, God stopped me at the beginning of King Solomon’s reign.
1 Chronicles 29:25 “The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.”
2 Chronicles 1:1 “Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.
At the very beginning, the Lord wants us to know that HE exalted Solomon. HE made Solomon great. Not his father David. Not the people of Israel.
"Promotion comes not from the east or the west or from the south; but God is the Judge. He puts down one and sets up another" (Psalm 75:6-7). Isn’t that good news? Because when man elevates you, he only does it because it will benefit him in return. And you better believe you will have to pay up for that promotion, one way or the other. However, when the Lord promotes you, it's a win-win situation that can't be undone. You don’t have to fight man to give you favor. You don’t have to convince anyone to celebrate you. You don’t have to shove your way into the door. You don’t have to hold other people back in fear that they will take your place. All you have to do is stay in the will of God and watch Him work.
One of my prayers is this: Lord, don’t allow me to look desperate for promotion or obsessed with greatness. I don’t want to be that woman. However you bless me, Lord, I’ll be satisfied.
It’s not easy to stay in that space because the flesh always wants more for itself and less for God. But our spirits have to want more for God and less for ourselves.
Today, I just want to encourage you to rest in the fact that God will place you where He wants you in His timing, be it on the job, in the church, in the community, in your family, etc. Be careful not to appear desperate for exaltation in front of people. ¥ou should be desperate for the Lord Our God and only Him. As Matthew 6:33 says, when we seek first His Kingdom and righteous, everything else will be added to us, including greatness. And when God elevates you, everyone will see what He has done, just as they saw Solomon.
Have faith that our Great God wants you to be great. Just go about it the right way, and then give God the glory for all the great things He has done!
