06/15/2026
“God's blessings were never intended to become monuments to our greatness, but testimonies to His goodness; He gives them so they can be used for His glory and for the good of others.”
Are You Stealing God's Glory?
"...that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" 1 Corinthians 4:6-7
"And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth..." Deuteronomy 8:17-18
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..." James 1:17
One of the most dangerous sins in the Christian life is also one of the easiest to overlook. Pride rarely announces itself. It seldom walks into a room waving a flag. Instead, it quietly settles into the heart and begins convincing us that we deserve the credit for things that were actually given to us by God.
The Apostle Paul asks a piercing question in 1 Corinthians 4:7: "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" It is a question every believer ought to ask himself honestly. What do you possess that did not first come from the hand of God?
The answer is nothing.
Everything that is good in our lives is ultimately a gift from Him. The health that allows us to work, the beauty that turns heads, the talent that earns admiration, the intelligence that solves problems, the opportunities that open doors, the resources we possess, and even the determination that helped us succeed all came from God. Yet how often do we act as though we created those things ourselves?
We all know someone who seems impressed with themselves. Perhaps it is the woman who walks through church as though she is God's gift to everyone around her. Perhaps it is the man who can somehow turn every conversation back to his accomplishments. Perhaps it is the talented Christian who secretly enjoys the praise more than the opportunity to serve. While those examples are easy to spot, the truth is that pride often hides much closer to home than we care to admit.
Pride does not always sound like bragging. Sometimes it appears in the quiet assumption that we are somehow better than others. Sometimes it is found in a heart that enjoys being admired. Sometimes it surfaces when we become offended because we were not recognized, thanked, or appreciated. At its root, pride is taking credit for what belongs to God.
That is why Paul's next statement is so powerful. He asks, "Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" In other words, if God gave it to you, why are you acting as though you produced it yourself?
The world loves the idea of the self-made man or woman. The Bible teaches something entirely different; there are no self-made people, only people who have forgotten where their blessings came from.
Some may object and say, "But I worked hard for what I have," and perhaps you did. Hard work is honorable, discipline is valuable and determination is commendable; but where did those qualities come from? Who gave you the mind to think, the body to work, the strength to endure, the opportunities to succeed, and the grit to stay with the task when others quit?
God addressed this very issue in Deuteronomy 8. Speaking to Israel, He warned them about the danger of enjoying His blessings while forgetting their source. He said, "And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth." How easily that attitude can creep into our hearts. We may never say it out loud, but we think it. We begin to believe that our accomplishments are primarily the result of our own ability.
God immediately corrected that way of thinking: "But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." God was not denying that they had worked hard; rather, He reminded them that He was the One who gave them the strength, ability, opportunity, and determination to work in the first place.
The same principle applies to every area of life:
The beautiful woman did not create her beauty.
The gifted singer did not create her voice.
The talented teacher did not create her mind.
The successful businessman did not create his abilities.
The athlete did not create her strength.
Every gift traces back to the Giver.
James drives the point home when he writes, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." Every gift, every ability, every opportunity and every breath; if it is good, it came from God.
The tragedy of pride is that it steals glory from God and places it on ourselves. It is spiritual theft. We take what belongs to Him and act as though it belongs to us. We stand in front of the mirror admiring His handiwork while forgetting the Hand that made it.
Pride also robs us of gratitude. After all, how can I be thankful for something if I have convinced myself that I earned it? Thankfulness flourishes when we recognize God's goodness but pride flourishes when we focus on ourselves. The proud Christian says, "Look what I have accomplished while the grateful Christian says, "Look how good God has been to me."; it’s either boasting or worshipping.
This is why Paul warned the Corinthians, "Your glorying is not good." Pride may feel harmless, but it slowly rots the heart. It makes us critical of others, less dependent upon God, less grateful for His blessings, and more concerned with our own reputation than His glory. It transforms grateful recipients of God's grace into self-congratulating owners of God's gifts.
God's blessings were never intended to become monuments to our greatness, but testimonies to His goodness; He gives them so they can be used for His glory and for the good of others. Beauty should point people to the Creator, talent should be used in service, resources should advance the Gospel, influence should encourage others toward Christ and abilities should become tools in God's hand rather than trophies displayed for our own admiration.
Perhaps the greatest test of pride is this: If God removed every blessing that tempts you to think highly of yourself, who would you be? If the beauty faded, the talent disappeared, the accomplishments were forgotten, and the applause stopped, would you still find your identity in Christ? Or have the gifts God entrusted to you become more important to your identity than the Giver Himself?
Ladies, every blessing in your life is borrowed and have been entrusted to you by a gracious God. Do not let your heart become puffed up over borrowed blessings; instead, hold them with humility, steward them faithfully, give them freely and use them to point others to Christ.
Reflection Questions
1. What blessing are you most tempted to take personal credit for?
2. Have you allowed pride to replace gratitude in any area of your life?
3. When others praise you, does your heart absorb the glory or redirect it to God?
4. Are you using your gifts to serve others and advance the Gospel, or to draw attention to yourself?
Every good thing we possess came from God: the health we enjoy, the abilities we exercise, the resources we steward, and the opportunities we receive are all gifts from His hand. May we never become so impressed with God's handiwork that we begin stealing His glory. Instead, let us walk humbly, live gratefully, and remember that all glory belongs to the One who gave us every good and perfect gift.
