Daily Devotionals

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place Week 4: Saturday

"After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. Daniel 4:34

Pride is never an attractive quality. Not many people enjoy the company of a prideful person. Scripture teaches that God is not pleased by prideful people either. Instead, He is honored by those who choose humility over pride.

When Nebuchadnezzar finally chose humility in Daniel 4, God saw and healed him. In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar was punished for his wickedness and pride in what must have felt to him to be the ultimate humility. He lost his mind, living as an animal in disgrace. I cannot think of anything more humiliating than what Nebuchadnezzar is experiencing. To the average observer, it looked as if there was no hope for Nebuchadnezzar. There was still hope, however. With God, there is always hope. 

Scripture teaches that after some time living as a wild animal, Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven (verse 34). His sanity immediately returned when he looked to God in humility. When God restored Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity, Nebuchadnezzar praised Him, acknowledging that “His rule is everlasting and his kingdom is eternal (verse 34). What Nebuchadnezzar was doing in this verse was repenting. He turned away from His old, prideful ways and looked to God. He declared to everyone, "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and He is able to humble the proud" (verse 37). Nebuchadnezzar certainly experienced what it meant to be humbled.

In the same way that Nebuchadnezzar repented, when we have pride in our lives, we are called to turn to God. We must turn to Him, acknowledge our mistakes, and declare His greatness. When we do, He is pleased and will restore us. It is never too late to repent, turn to Him, and live humbly.

Moving toward action

Memorize Daniel 4:37. Let this verse remind you that God is pleased by our humility. Then, take some time to pray. Turn to God and ask Him to help you live with humility. Ask Him to cultivate a spirit of humility in you and help you as you seek to let go of any pride and choose humility instead.

Going Deeper

Daniel 4:27-34

"'King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.'

28 "But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 30 As he looked out across the city, he said, 'Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.'

31 "While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32 You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.'

33 "That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles' feathers and his nails were like birds' claws.

34 "After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.

His rule is everlasting,
and his kingdom is eternal."