2 Chronicles 32:21-26: a reflection

21The LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, the leaders, and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body killed him there with the sword. 22Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23Many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from then on. 24In those days Hezekiah was terminally ill, and he prayed to the LORD; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign. 25But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem. 26However, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the LORD’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah has just seen God do extraordinary things for him. An angel struck down the Assyrian army that had threatened Jerusalem; God healed him from a deadly illness; nations sent him gifts and honored him. And then, in the middle of all that blessing, a warning line: Hezekiah did not respond according to the benefit done him, for his heart was proud. The very blessings had gone to his head.

Notice the danger the passage exposes. It was not adversity that tripped Hezekiah up, but success. God's deliverance, healing, and honor, all good gifts, became the occasion for pride, as though he had somehow earned or deserved the exaltation. Blessing can be a subtler spiritual danger than trouble, because it flatters us, whispers that we are special, and quietly lifts the heart above the God who gave the gifts.

That is worth watching in our own lives, especially in seasons when things are going well. Success, answered prayer, recognition, recovery, these are mercies, but they can inflate us if we are not careful, until we forget that everything we have is a gift and begin to credit ourselves. Notice how Hezekiah was spared: he humbled himself for the pride of his heart, and the wrath was turned away. When you are blessed, guard against the pride that blessing breeds. Receive God's gifts with humility and gratitude, remembering the Giver, and if pride creeps in, humble yourself, as Hezekiah did.

Lord, it is often not trouble but blessing that trips me into pride. When you deliver, heal, and honor me, guard my heart from being lifted up as though I earned it. Help me receive your gifts with humility and gratitude, remembering you the Giver, and, like Hezekiah, to humble myself when pride creeps in.