But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.
2 Chronicles 26:16 NLT
This passage recounts the tragic turning point in the life of King Uzziah. After all God had done for him and through him, he still fell into pride. Uzziah didn’t begin in rebellion—God helped him, empowered him, and gave him victory. But the moment he became strong, spiritual pride crept in. This serves as a clear spiritual pride warning for every believer: no one is too anointed or too established to fall. Pride remains a silent enemy we must guard against.
That phrase, “he also,” carries weight. It implies that pride and rebellion had marked the lives of others before him—perhaps even his forefathers. But people expected Uzziah, considering his deep relationship with God and the victories he had experienced, to chart a different course. Still, he also fell into the same trap.
This should raise a sobering question in your heart: What will be written about you in the journals of heaven? Will it read, “You started well. The Lord prospered you…But you also became proud and did what displeased the Lord”? Will you, too, repeat the patterns you ought to break?
The truth is, none of us truly knows the intent or tendencies of our hearts. You may feel fine today and sincerely desire to please God—but you cannot predict who you might become five or ten years from now. That’s why we must continually call on the Lord to search our hearts, to purify our thoughts, and to keep us from hidden dangers—especially the dangers within ourselves.
We must not assume spiritual maturity immunises us from pride or compromise. Uzziah didn’t start proud. His downfall came after he had become strong. Strength, success, and elevation often uncover what lies hidden—not just in our environment, but in our hearts.
The life of Uzziah should echo as a spiritual pride warning to anyone walking with God. The danger isn’t just in failing at the beginning—it’s in falling after you’ve been lifted. That’s why even as you grow in strength and influence, humility must remain your foundation.
This is why we must commit ourselves daily into God’s hands. We need Him to keep us from repeating the errors of those who have gone before us. May we not follow the same paths of failure simply because we failed to surrender consistently. Let God hold you—not just today, but until the very end. Let Him shape your heart continually.
The battle is both spiritual and physical. Some tendencies may lie dormant in your family line, and if not confronted in prayer and discipline, they may manifest in your future. Just because you don’t see them now doesn’t mean they aren’t there. They often wait for your moment of strength or success to appear
Be watchful. Stay yielded. Ask God to purge your heart and thoughts. Ask Him to break every generational pattern that doesn’t align with His will. Walk in constant dependence on Him, not in your strength.
Living it out
Take time to reflect deeply and prayerfully on this post. Don’t let your story end with, “you also became proud.” Walk in reverent dependence on God from beginning to end. Uzziah’s story reminds us that starting well is not enough; we must finish well, too. May it never be said of us that ‘we also became proud.’ Instead, let heaven record that we stood firm, finished strong, and honoured God to the very end. May grace keep us from falling, and may humility guard our hearts every step of the way.