It's All From Him

(My son has given his permission to tell this story about a lesson he learned – which relates to what God’s word tells us.)

One year during baseball season my son was what you would call “In a slump.” He had gone through ¾ of the season hitting very well and was at the top of his game. Then suddenly he wasn’t able to hit the ball at all. Many people tried to offer their advice and tips to get him hitting again but nothing worked. He was getting extremely upset and was quickly losing his confidence, which broke his fathers and mine heart.

One day after yet another “Hit-less” game I had a talk with him at home. I asked him what he felt the problem was and if there was something he could do different. He couldn’t think of anything to try which frustrated him even more.

Then the Lord visited us in his room and led us to the answer. I asked him if he felt he had become a little arrogant and prideful in himself because of his natural ability. If that also perhaps God had allowed him not to hit to humble him. That maybe God was trying to teach him a lesson in humility. He sat there and listened and then sadly answered, “Yes”.

We talked for a long time about pride, arrogance and confidence. We talked about how God had blessed him with an exceptional talent but that it was all from God.

We ended up praying together and he asked the lord to forgive him and he thanked Him for the talent God had given him. From that point on his hitting returned stronger than ever and I believe his eyes were more on the Lord for the blessing that He had given him.

In Daniel 4 there is a story about a King named Nebuchadnezzar who also had to learn some lessons in pride and humility. This King had a dream that he couldn’t understand and he called for Daniel to come and interpret the dream to him.

The dream went as follows: “There was a tree in the midst of the earth and its height was great. The tree grew large and strong, and its height reached to the sky and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches and all living creatures fed themselves from it. Behold an angelic watcher a holy one, descended from heaven. He shouted out and spoke as follows,” Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. Yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field; and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let a beasts mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers and the decision is a command of the holy ones in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets over it the lowliest of men.”

Daniel heard the Kings dream and said “My Lord if only the dream applied to those who hate you and its interpretation to your adversaries! The tree that you saw which became large and grew strong who’s height reached to the sky and visible to all the earth and whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant and in which the beasts of the field dwelt and in whose branches the birds of the sky lodged – it is you, O King; for you have become great and grown strong and your majesty has become great and reached to the sky and your dominion to the end of the earth. And in that the King saw an angelic watcher a holy one descending from heaven and saying “Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him”

“This is the interpretation, O King and this is the decree of the Most High which has come upon my Lord the King; that you be driven from mankind and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes. And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your Kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is heaven that rules. Therefore O King may my advice be pleasing to you; break away now from your sins by doing righteousness, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.” Twelve months later the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon. The King reflected and said “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” While the word was in the Kings mouth a voice came from heaven saying, “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you”.

From that moment on the King was driven away from mankind for seven years just like Daniels interpretation had said. At the end of the seven-year period the King said his reason had returned to him and he blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him. The Kings majesty and splendor were restored to him and he was reestablished in his sovereignty and surpassing greatness was added to him. The King also said something very poignant which was “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

What a bitter- sweet story this is yet very vital to each of us. God does want to richly bless us in so many different ways. He desires to give us more than we could ever think or imagine. When he does though and we think it’s all about us – were too much into ourselves and we need to be humbled. To forget that God is the giver of everything we have is a dangerous mind set to have. When we let pride come in and rule our hearts God will use whatever means possible to get our attention back on him and off of ourselves.

Proverbs 16:18 says this: “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling.”

Everything in our lives from gifts, talents, health, family, financial blessings etc. is all from God and only Him. Everything that God gives us we need to continually thank Him and give Him honor and praise. To realize that we wouldn’t have anything if it weren’t for Him and His goodness to us.