Wow, I’ve just been turned on to a verse of scripture that I didn’t realized was in the Bible. I must have read it before, but just glossed over it. This is another example how scripture seems to come alive in a new way. It’s a new season! To me, this is HUGE. And I know it’s going to be huge also for some of you…”
This was after Hezekiah was healed of his sickness. If you know this story… great, and if you don’t… you need to read it. This verse makes me think of all the times great affliction and trials were lashed out at me nonstop. The enemy came in like a flood. There have been many times when guidance from the throne of God Almighty seemed to be unfairly, even cruelly exchanged for the deafening sound of silence! Have you been there?
The Bible commentary on this verse tells me that after Hezekiah was healed, he became proud. When the ambassadors from Babylon came to inquire about his miraculous healing, God stepped back to see how Hezekiah would respond. Unfortunately, Hezekiah’s actions revealed his runaway pride. He pointed to his own accomplishments rather than to God.
So is God testing us when He is silent, when there are times of isolation in our lives? He very well could be. Of course, His ways are higher than ours… so we have to rely on what the Bible says. After all, it is God’s Word, and the Bible says He is pulling away from us to test what’s really in our hearts.
He reveals hidden pride. Pride is any attitude that elevates our effort or abilities above God’s or treats with disdain His work in us. Pride causes us to congratulate ourselves for our successes and to look down upon other people. Boy, I was a master at looking down on others in my past life! Our God doesn’t have a problem with self- confidence, healthy self-esteem, or good feelings about our accomplishments. What He does have a problem with is the foolish attitude of taking full credit for what He has done or when we set ourselves up as superior to others. Oh, how I had to painfully learn this! Don’t be a hardhead like me!
