Come, let us look one another in the face and test each other. – 2 Kings 14:8, Amplified Bible

Amaziah became the king of Judah when he was just twenty-five years old. He reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem, and during his rule he did that which was “right in the sight of The Lord.” (2 Kings 14:3) Amaziah, however, was not without fault.

At one point of his reign, Amaziah routed the Edomites in the Valley of Salt, killing ten thousand of their soldiers. After his great victory, Amaziah decided to try his luck with a bigger foe, so he sent a messenger to Jehoash, King of Israel, to pick a fight. Jehoash responded:

You have indeed smitten Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your hurt and provoke calamity, causing you to fall, you and Judah with you? – (2 Kings 14:10)

Amaziah would not heed Jehoash’s warning, so the two kings went to war, Israel routed Judah, and Jehoash plundered the city of Jerusalem.

According to James 4:6, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. This reality applies to the children of God just as much as it applies to the unsaved. Too often we act as if we are immune to God’s harsh rebukes, thinking that our loving Father will excuse our prideful actions and give us victory despite ourselves. After all, God, like any loving father, wants to give good gifts to His children, right? Sure He does, but no matter what we may think, God is more interested in building our character than in granting us victory. If pride is in our hearts, He may just need to acquaint us with defeat in order to mold us into the image of His Son.

Pray without ceasing for true humility, especially after you’ve experienced a triumph. If you don’t, you may cause yourself and your loved ones to suffer, just like Amaziah did.