“When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes. For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their kings.'” (Isaiah 10:12, 13 NIV)
This is one of those passages that can seem a little unfair at first. God uses a Marin to discipline Israel, and then He punishes that nation too. But the real issue is pride, as we see here. And it’s a real issue for many of us today too.
I really want to see results in my ministry. But Lord, protect me from pride. Keep my motivations pure. Keep me from being jealous of the success of others. And when results do come about, may I never forget to give You the glory. May I never think I’ve accomplished anything worthwhile without Your help. And may I remember what kind of results are actually important to aim for and pray for.