Has God ever put you in a position in which you felt unqualified or unprepared? Have you ever said, "God, this must be a mistake. You have me in way over my head here"?
There is a reason for that. I have discovered that generally most folks don't have as difficult a time staying humble in an area of life or ministry in which they know they aren't gifted.
If God has you doing something for which you have no natural ability or training, you will find it much easier to give Him the glory for what He is doing through you. God does that on purpose.
God Is Always Stretching Us
When God needed an ambassador to the Jewish religious establishment, He didn't send Paul, whose resume would have seemed to make him the perfect candidate for the job. No, He sent Peter—the rough, unlearned fisherman.
Paul, the educated Jewish scholar, was sent to carry the gospel to the "barbarian" Gentiles. God put both men in positions in which they wouldn't be able to lean on their own natural strengths.
Now, I am not trying to say that God won't use your natural ability or education. Of course He will. However, the reason not many wise, influential, or powerful people are chosen is that all too often pride causes them to take credit for what they have done instead of giving God the glory for what He did through them.
Don't Rely On Your Own Ability
The point I wish to make is that your greatest vulnerability to pride will be in the area in which you have some expertise or natural talent.
Maybe you are a skilled organizer or a natural leader. The trap is thinking that you can accomplish something in your own ability without God.
You see, you can begin to lean on your own flesh instead of staying totally dependent on the Lord.
When Satan tempts you to receive the glory for a good work, just remember that God said no flesh will glory in His presence (1 Cor. 1:29).
If you want to keep the presence of God in your endeavors, you must stay humble.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Mac Hammond is the senior pastor of Living Word, a large and growing church in Brooklyn Park (a suburb of Minneapolis), Minnesota. He is the host of the Winner’s Minute, which is seen locally in the Minneapolis area on KMSP Channel 9 at 6:44 a.m. and 11:11 a.m. He is also the host of the Winner's Way broadcast and author of several internationally distributed books. Mac is broadly acclaimed for his ability to apply the principles of the Bible to practical situations and the challenges of daily living.
