Common advice given to youth is to work hard while you’re young so that you can build something for yourself. The question we have to ask though is, who actually built it? In the case of Uzziah he became king of Judah at 16 and was extremely diligent from the get-go. 

He had a well-trained army equipped with all sorts of artillery. And, he built towers in Jerusalem for them so that soldiers could shoot and defend from up high. King Uzziah even built towers in the wilderness and dug cisterns to best attend to the livestock. He became so powerful, that his fame spread far and wide. 

However, there was a turning point in his life, much like there can be in ours. In the beginning King Uzziah earnestly depended on God. He would seek the Lord and God would give him success. But then, as he examined all that had been accomplished he started taking personal credit. 

2 Chronicles 26:16 says “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God.” Too often we go to God in our weakness, but not in our strength. Remember, the Christian life isn’t just about how you start, but also how you finish.