“When we take credit for the bad things, we’ll take credit for the good and God won’t get any of the glory.”
We walked and he went on sharing truth after truth, pouring them out over the frustrations of yesterday. Reminding himself, reminding me. Speaking grace. Speaking perspective. Speaking truth into our hard battered hearts.
Because ministry to people is hard and joyful and messy and beautiful and painful. And for every joy and victory there is a pain and failure. For every freed soul there is one slid back into bondage.
And my mind lingered on this truth…
Who’s failures have I taken credit for that aren’t really mine?
Who’s falling aways have I blamed on my lack of ministry?
Who’s sins have I considered a product of something I did or didn’t say?
I am called to be faithful.
I am called to minister.
I am called to love unconditionally.
I am called to speak truth and life.
I am called to do and say the things He places in my heart.
But the results aren’t mine.
They never were.
Because in the end it’s just my and my broken and redeemed life standing at the throne of the Almighty God. And it’s my position in Jesus that will determine my destination and it’s my faithfulness and my obedience that will determine my crown. And the point of that crown is to be thrown at His beautiful feet. The point of that crown is His glory anyways…not mine.
Because the glory has never mine, is not mine now, and will never be mine someday.
The glory is His because the results are His. May He pour glory and grace and life through this broken and redeemed vessel. May the only one seen in all of this pouring out be Him and His grace.
And I won’t take the credit for the falls and I won’t take credit for the victories. Because I can’t grow fruit for anyone else. Because I can’t produce the fruit in my own heart. I can obey Him and I can love Him and as I do I trust that He will be faithful to produce the fruit He has promised.
So I’ll leave the fruit, good and bad, to Him and I’ll just keep working to be faithful, trusting Him with the results. Because I can’t make fruit.
Be blessed
<3
