Complimentary Story
August 2026Why does God sometimes seem to deal more quickly and more harshly with some people than with others? We see one person openly rebel against God for years with little apparent consequence, while another experiences correction almost immediately. From our limited perspective, it can seem inconsistent. Yet Scripture shows that God judges righteously, taking into account not only what a person does but also what that person knows.
How often, after completing a project, accomplishing a goal, or receiving praise from others, do we take more pride in what we have done than we should? We may not stand in public and boast about our greatness, but in our hearts we can begin to believe that our success is primarily the result of our own intelligence, determination, or hard work. We enjoy the praise. We admire the finished product. We congratulate ourselves. Meanwhile, the One who gave us the ability, the opportunity, the strength, and even the breath to accomplish those things receives little acknowledgment.
The Bible gives us a powerful example of this in the lives of Nebuchadnezzar and his son, Belshazzar.
Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful king in the world. One day, as he looked over his kingdom, he praised himself for all that he had accomplished. He viewed his greatness as the result of his own power and wisdom. While those proud words were still in his mouth, God humbled him. His kingdom was taken from him, his reason departed, and he lived like an animal until he finally lifted his eyes toward heaven and acknowledged that God alone is sovereign.
After a season of humiliation, Nebuchadnezzar learned what he should have known all along: every blessing, every position of authority, and every success ultimately comes from God.
Years later, his son Belshazzar became king. Unlike his father, Belshazzar did not have to learn the lesson from scratch. He knew the story. He knew what had happened to Nebuchadnezzar. He knew how God had humbled him and then restored him when he repented.
Yet Belshazzar ignored the lesson. During a great feast, he commanded that the sacred vessels taken from the temple of God be brought out so that he and his guests could drink from them. He praised false gods and glorified himself. Then a mysterious hand appeared and wrote on the wall. Daniel was called to interpret the message.
Daniel reminded Belshazzar of his father's experience and then delivered these sobering words:
“And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this.” (Daniel 5:22).
Those five words are striking: “though thou knewest all this.”
Belshazzar’s guilt was greater because his knowledge was greater. He had witnessed God’s dealings with his father. He had every opportunity to learn from what had happened before him. Yet he chose to ignore the truth.
The same principle applies to us today.
We are responsible for what we know. We are accountable for the truth God has already shown us. Every sermon we have heard, every Bible lesson we have received, every answered prayer, every correction, every blessing, and every reminder of God’s faithfulness adds to our responsibility before Him.
Many people in America have been surrounded by biblical truth for most of their lives. We own multiple Bibles. We have access to Christian books, radio programs, churches, and online teaching. We know that God provides for our needs. We know that every good gift comes from Him. We know that He deserves our praise and thanksgiving.
Yet, how often do we rush from one blessing to the next without stopping to thank Him?
We pray earnestly when we need something. We ask for guidance, provision, protection, healing, or wisdom. Then, when God answers, we quickly move on to the next concern. The blessing becomes expected. The answer becomes forgotten. Gratitude fades.
A thankful heart does not come naturally to our fallen nature. Complaining comes naturally. Comparing ourselves to others comes naturally. Feeling entitled comes naturally. Thanksgiving requires humility because it acknowledges that what we have received is not something we ultimately earned.
True thanksgiving is more than saying “thank you” before a meal. It is a recognition that every good thing comes from the hand of God. The roof over our heads, the food on our tables, the people we love, the work we are able to do, the abilities we possess, and the opportunities before us are all gifts from Him.
The danger of pride is that it causes us to focus on the gift while forgetting the Giver.
Perhaps that is why Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to remember. We are prone to forget. We forget answered prayers. We forget difficult circumstances through which God carried us. We forget how dependent we truly are upon Him. We begin to assume that tomorrow’s blessings are guaranteed and that today’s blessings are deserved.
Belshazzar forgot. He knew what God had done, but he failed to honor Him. His knowledge should have produced humility and gratitude. Instead, it produced indifference.
As Christians, we must guard against this same danger. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more careful we should be to cultivate thanksgiving. We know too much to live as though God has done nothing for us. We have seen too much of His faithfulness. We have experienced too much of His mercy.
Every day we are being watched and weighed — not merely by what we accomplish but by whether our lives glorify the One who makes those accomplishments possible. The question is not simply whether we recognize God’s blessings. The question is whether those blessings lead us to gratitude, worship, and obedience.
May we not wait for God to humble us before we acknowledge His goodness. May we willingly give Him the glory that belongs to Him. May we remember His faithfulness, thank Him for His blessings, and honor Him with our lives.
“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.” (Psalm 50:14).
Emily Myers and her husband, Daniel, live on a small farm in Missouri where they homeschool their seven children. Emily is a Certified Professional Midwife. Together, Emily and Daniel co-authored “Expressions of Thanksgiving,” a family devotional designed to cultivate hearts of gratitude through Scripture, song, and reflection. Daniel also illustrated the book with his original artwork.
