But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 26:16 NIV
Uzziah was a king of Judah who followed the Lord and did much good in the nation. And God blessed him through most of his reign. But this verse is a sad commentary on the end of his reign. Uzziah took personal pride in what God had done through him, and it led to his downfall. He came to believe that somehow he deserved the credit for all that had been done. In his pride, Uzziah took incense into the temple to offer to God. Something that only the priests were allowed to do. And he ended up with a skin disease that made him an outcast for the remainder of his life.
God has blessed me tremendously. And he has enabled me to serve him. But there is always a temptation to take some credit for what God does. To become proud of what God accomplishes in my life. But this lesson from Uzziah’s life is a warning against pride. To not let my pride get in the way of God using me.
