Daily Devotionals

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place Week 4: Monday

"I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations. Daniel 4:2-3

I once heard someone define pride as an over-inflated sense of self. That definition rings true, doesn't it? Prideful people are overly focused on themselves. They believe that they are more important than others and deserve what they want when they want it. This way of living is not how God intended. It leads us to exalt ourselves instead of God. We must shift our focus from ourselves to God if we want to avoid this pride.

When we read the book of Daniel, it is evident that King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, struggled with a pride problem. That is why he had a ninety-foot tall and nine-foot wide statue built for all of the people of Babylon to worship. This statue was to show off the luxury and greatness of both Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar himself. God warned Nebuchadnezzar to turn away from his pride and turn to God. One of these moments was when God saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s lives after they had been thrown into a blazing furnace for refusing to worship the king’s statue. They worshiped God alone. For a brief moment, Nebuchadnezzar recognized God’s power and His kingdom instead of his own. He made a rule in Daniel 3 that anyone who spoke against God would be brutally punished (verse 29). Then, in Daniel 4, he sent this message throughout the world, “I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me. How great are his signs, how powerful his wonders! His kingdom will last forever, his rule through all generations" (verses 2-3). For a moment, Nebuchadnezzar focused his attention and his heart on God and his kingdom. It would not last long, unfortunately. Nebuchadnezzar's pride would cause him to turn back to his kingdom and power, and he would face the consequences. 

What about you? Are you living as if the world revolves around you, much like Nebuchadnezzar, or are you living for God’s kingdom, a kingdom that will last? Despite what we may think, the world does not revolve around us. Everything that exists is from God and for God, and when we correct our line of thinking, we can truly live in a way that honors God.

Moving toward action

Shift your focus today on God. Listen to your favorite worship song. Sing loudly and purposefully. As you sing, think about the God you are singing to. He is good and worthy of every ounce of your praise.

Going Deeper

Daniel 4:1-9

"King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:

"Peace and prosperity to you!

2 "I want you all to know about the miraculous signs and wonders the Most High God has performed for me.

3 How great are his signs,
how powerful his wonders!
His kingdom will last forever,
his rule through all generations.

4 "I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity. 5 But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed. 6 So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant. 7 When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant. 8 At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

9 "I said to him, 'Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means."