In today’s work environment, people want promotions faster and more frequently.

Even in ministry, if there’s a ladder to climb, we often assume it’s a race to the top. Any delay in our climb can feel like a personal affront.

But just because we believe we’re ready for a promotion doesn’t mean God shares that view. Therefore, rather than asking, “When am I going to get promoted?” maybe we should ask, “Am I ready for promotion, and can God trust me with a promotion?”

Sometimes we need to tap the brakes so we can reflect on what matters most. Instead of fixating on advancement, we should seek to walk in step with the Holy Spirit’s pace and plan for our lives.

Consider the following qualities in the life of Daniel that were essential to God’s promotion of him throughout his life.

Spirituality

The basis of spirituality isn’t preaching skills or ministry talents. Spirituality is all about the depth and intimacy of your personal relationship with Jesus. It involves the private disciplines of loving Christ, not the public display of laboring for Christ.

Daniel’s spirituality is evident throughout his story, particularly in his devotion to prayer. When Darius issued a decree that no one could pray to anyone but the king for 30 days, Daniel’s response was to keep seeking God: “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10).

For Daniel, prayer was a habit of intimacy with God, not a fire escape reserved for emergencies.

God is more concerned about your spiritual vitality than the size of your platform. You are called to Him before you’re called to ministry or leadership.

When we intentionally cultivate daily fellowship with God, we develop a spirituality that has the power to sustain us for the long term.

Integrity

Daniel demonstrated his integrity before he was ever promoted. When the king sought candidates for service in his kingdom, a daily ration of food and wine from the royal table was to be brought to Daniel and his friends.

Most people would have enjoyed such a feast. However, “Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way” (Daniel 1:8).

The king worshipped false gods, and the meat from his table may have been offered to idols. Rather than defiling themselves, Daniel and his friends were committed to walk with honor and integrity before God by remaining ceremonially clean.

There will be moments when you’re tempted to make subtle compromises in your life. But if you can’t handle the small demands of leadership before you’re promoted, how will God be able to trust you with more responsibility? After all, the greater the responsibility, the greater the pressure to compromise.

Today’s integrity is what prepares you for tomorrow’s tests and temptations. God is not interested in promoting you into leadership positions with character tests you can’t handle.

Capacity

The desire for promotion does not equal the capacity for promotion. Just because you want to be promoted doesn’t mean you have skills and abilities that warrant promotion.

Daniel demonstrated he was ready for promotion. Daniel 1:3–5 says, “The king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility — young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.”

Notice, before Daniel was chosen, he showed an aptitude for every kind of learning. Therein lies an important lesson for today: Learn before you need to. Daniel didn’t just learn to get a position; he embraced a learning posture that made him ready when the position came.

God is more concerned about your spiritual vitality than the size
of your platform.

As college basketball coach John Wooden once said, “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.”

Once Daniel and his friends finally entered the king’s service, they excelled. Daniel 1:20 says, “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.”

If you want God to promote you, become a lifelong learner. Develop a habit of reading. Receive coaching and training. These disciplines will enlarge your capacity and show you are ready for additional responsibility and opportunity. If you wait to learn, you’ll wait to lead.

Humility

When King Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that tormented him and robbed him of sleep, he summoned his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers. But none of them could tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream or provide the interpretation.

However, God gave the meaning of the dream to Daniel. And what was Daniel’s first response? He worshipped God, thanking Him for the interpretation.

Then, when Daniel went before the king, he was careful not to take the credit. Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?” (Daniel 2:26).

Daniel responded, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come” (Daniel 2:27–28).

An attitude of humility allowed Daniel to glorify God rather than seeking honor for himself.

In today’s culture, many are enamored with platform building. Aspiring church leaders often feel the size of their platforms determine the significance of their ministries. As a result, they invest inordinate energy in self-promotion.

God sees our hearts. He knows our motives. And one thing that seems to offend God throughout Scripture is pride.

R.C. Sproul once said, “The grand difference between a human being and a supreme being is precisely this: Apart from God, I cannot exist. Apart from me, God does exist. God does not need me in order for Him to be; I do need God in order for me to be.” Until we learn this lesson, God cannot trust us with promotion.

Consistency

What’s important to understand about Daniel’s story is that he did not gain and exert his influence overnight. Daniel 1:21 says Daniel remained in the king’s service “until the first year of King Cyrus.”

Daniel served four kings — Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus — from his youth until he was in his 80s. He slowly built and maintained influence step by step, day by day, year by year, and choice by choice. Simply put, Daniel was consistent.

Anybody can be spiritual and competent once. Anyone can show integrity or humility in a moment. But it takes consistency to turn these qualities into a life of faithfulness to God. When we live that way, we discover our consistency has a compounding effect on our leadership.

Three things are difficult about consistency. First, it’s difficult to remain consistent when life and leadership become hard. That’s when we want to bail. That’s when it’s easy to say, “I think God is calling me to leave.”

Stay. Learn the importance of resiliency in the development of your character.

Second, consistency is difficult when we’re bored. In other words, it’s hard to remain consistent when our job has lost its glamor and appeal.

Stay. Learn to lead when it’s not all about you.

Finally, consistency is difficult because it requires us to trust God’s timing. Consistency is a choice that’s not dependent on God giving us a promotion by a certain date or within a particular window of time.

Stay. God doesn’t owe anyone a promotion, but we do owe Him our consistent devotion to cultivating spirituality, growing our capacity, living with integrity, and walking with humility.

This seems to be the pattern of how God promotes leaders. We see it not only in Daniel’s life, but also in the lives of leaders like Moses and Joseph. So, rather than asking, “When am I going to get promoted?” begin asking, “Am I ready for promotion, and can God trust me with a promotion?”

Your answer to the latter question will reveal which of the areas above most need your attention.