Rev. Chris Effiong, Sole Administrator of the National Worship Centre of the United Evangelical Church (UEC), has cautioned Christians against the tendency to forget God after experiencing breakthroughs, describing ingratitude as one of the greatest dangers that can follow success.
Delivering the sermon during the church’s early month thanksgiving and dance service, Rev. Effiong, who preached from Deuteronomy 8:1–4, reminded worshippers that every blessing, achievement and breakthrough comes solely by the mercy of God and should never become a reason for pride or self-glorification.
He explained that while many believers remain fervent in prayer and dependence on God during periods of hardship, they often become complacent and self-sufficient once their prayers are answered. According to him, forgetting God after receiving His blessings is a dangerous spiritual error capable of exposing believers to avoidable setbacks and calamities.
The cleric urged members to be vigilant about “life after success,” stressing that prosperity should deepen gratitude rather than diminish dependence on God.
Rev. Effiong lamented that human beings have an unfortunate tendency to forget where God brought them from once they begin to enjoy comfort and progress. He warned that pride and arrogance often replace humility when people begin to attribute their accomplishments to personal intelligence, connections, wealth or competence instead of acknowledging God’s hand.
“There is nothing anyone can achieve without the help and intervention of God,” he said, adding that every genuine success is a product of divine mercy rather than human effort alone.
Drawing lessons from the biblical account of the rich fool, he noted that pride can quickly destroy what God has graciously given, emphasizing that material possessions and earthly accomplishments are never permanent without God’s sustaining grace.
The preacher observed that countless people continue to struggle with challenges such as unemployment, delayed marriages, childlessness, lack of promotion and other pressing needs of life. Yet, he maintained that it is God’s mercy alone that changes impossible situations, breaks barriers and opens doors beyond human imagination.
He reminded the congregation that every believer is a beneficiary of God’s compassion, insisting that many circumstances surrounding human existence can only be explained by divine mercy rather than strength, wisdom or careful planning.
According to him, despite the untold hardship, frustration and economic difficulties confronting many families, God’s mercy remains sufficient to sustain His children. He therefore encouraged members to shift their focus from human limitations to God’s limitless ability, assuring them that His mercy never fails those who trust in Him.
Rev. Effiong further stated that God resists the proud because they fail to recognise His sovereignty and the role His mercy plays in their daily lives. Instead, he urged believers to cultivate hearts of thanksgiving for God’s past, present and future blessings, describing gratitude as a pathway to continual divine favour.
Illustrating the importance of thanksgiving, he cited the biblical account of the ten lepers healed by Jesus Christ. While all ten received healing, only one returned to express gratitude. According to him, that singular act of thanksgiving brought complete restoration and lasting wholeness, demonstrating that God delights in grateful hearts.
He explained that whenever God’s mercy is released upon an individual, it often surpasses human reasoning, overturning protocols, systems and natural expectations. Such extraordinary manifestations, he said, are never earned by intelligence or personal influence but are solely products of God’s unfailing mercy.
The cleric therefore challenged Christians to become intentional about returning thanks to God at all times, stressing that every possession, opportunity and achievement ultimately originates from Him.
Quoting God’s assurance that He knew humanity even before birth, Rev. Effiong said God’s mercy precedes, accompanies and preserves His children throughout life’s journey.
He warned that forgetting God could result in the withdrawal of divine protection, leaving individuals vulnerable to tragedy, calamity and the attacks of the enemy.
Concluding his message, Rev. Effiong called on believers to embrace a lifestyle of gratitude, humility and continual thanksgiving, assuring them that those who faithfully acknowledge God’s goodness will continue to experience His enduring mercy and unwavering faithfulness.
He expressed confidence that as Christians remain grateful and refuse to take God’s benevolence for granted, they will continue to enjoy His favour, protection and abundant blessings, in fulfilment of His promise that His mercy endures forever.
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