Before crossing into the Promised Land, Moses prophetically warned the children of Israel (again!) not to think too highly of themselves or to trust in their own abilities and strength when things ended up going smoothly after decades wandering the desert. For then, as now, when times are tough, it is easy to turn to God in hope and trust, for where else can we turn when our own strength, ideas, and schemes fail? But when things are going well, too often we pat ourselves on the backs, crediting something meritorious in us for our bounty and quite forgetting that everything we have comes from the gracious hand of God.

When you eat and are full, and build beautiful houses to live in, and your herds and flocks grow large, and your silver and gold multiply, and everything else you have increases, be careful that your heart doesn’t become proud and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. He led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, a thirsty land where there was no water. He brought water out of the flint rock for you. He fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers had not known, in order to humble and test you, so that in the end he might cause you to prosper. You may say to yourself, ‘My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me,’ but remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm his covenant he swore to your fathers, as it is today.

-- Deuteronomy 8.12-18 CSB

In this passage, God is clearly the actor and Israel quite clearly the recipient of his favor, doing nothing to earn or merit these blessings. Grace has always been God's modus operandi, from Old Testament times until now. As St. James summed up centuries later, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light" (James 1.17 CSB).

In times of trial and struggle, we are right to turn to God as the helpless children we are. But when times are good, let us remain ever-mindful that those good things we enjoy are not ultimately the fruit of anything good or deserving in us but are solely given us by the hand of our loving Father.