Wait for God to Promote You
ICS Daily Devotions
Daniel 2:48 (NKJV) Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.
From the above Scripture, we see that instead of being killed, Daniel was promoted to be the ruler over the province of Babylon and the chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylonia. His rewards were due to the revelation that God had given to him. Daniel’s promotion came from God.
God encourages us to seek Him for wisdom when facing trials (James 1:5). There is more than sufficient wisdom from God to help us through every circumstance, but we must begin in faith by believing that this wisdom is available and that we will receive it from Him when we ask. Daniel’s faith and confidence stem from his relationship with God. If we want to be confident that we have heard from God, we must develop the godly habit of seeking His face daily, rather than turning to Him only in emergencies.
The practice of coming before God daily will not only keep us humble, teachable and mouldable by God, but also enable us to have the right attitude before God and men. Do you know what the difference is in our attitude when we are promoted because God has given us the wisdom? It keeps us humble because we know that God is the source of the answer or wisdom and not us. On the contrary, if we think that our own wisdom and abilities, apart from God, have earned us the promotion, we will be proud and full of ourselves instead of giving glory to God.
Psalm 75:6-7 (NKJV) For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.
The above Scripture reveals to us that God will promote or demote us. God judges us. He knows our thoughts and the intent of the heart, which might not always align with God. Most of the time, the purpose of the heart is very self-seeking and self-serving unless it is subjected to the Lordship of Christ.
It is unwise to be promoted before we are ready for the position. One needs to appreciate the preparation, training, and equipping process that precedes the promotion. Sometimes, we may not be prepared for a particular role due to a lack of experience or character, or we may not be ready emotionally to handle the role and lead the team. We will either fail or have to repeat specific experiences if we quicken the process without the necessary preparation. The experience of yesterday is preparation for tomorrow. If the Lord has brought us to be trained and moulded for a greater purpose and plan, we need to be humble and learn as much as we can while we wait for the promotion.
Sermon Series：Promotion Comes From God
