It seems so simply, the key to success, just follow and service God. But, we want to force our way through it. We want to know right now in our time. We get nervous about whether we'll actually be able to succeed at something. But today, I'm at one of those wonderful points where I feel God leading me, and then I opened the scripture (just after feeling a little bit nervous) and found such beautiful words of confirmation on how to be a successful servant of God.
Successful Plans come from God
and your plans will succeed.
9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:3,9)
but the LORD determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:3,9)
This evening Brad & I went over to Hermana Espirilla's home, and we were talking about many things but we mentioned the home church ministry that she used to have there. All three of us expressed interest in being involved in that ministry and seeing it start up again... hopefully bringing some to Christ who are not attending church and do not know the Lord. We were contacted by Campus Ministries just before the school year started about helping out with a Hispanic ministry, and now I'm wondering if things are really just coming together that nicely. I've been feeling a pull in a different direction, and this might be it. Maybe this was the tug that the Lord was giving to my heart.
After talking about this, there was great excitement and lots of dreams. But, then came the questions and the nervous/anxious feelings. Are we up to this? Can we do it? Do we have enough energy and time this semester? And all we can say is that we'll pray about it and leave it up to God. If God wants this and this is His will, it will happen. It will succeed, if we commit our plans to Him. We could plan what we're going to do, but the Lord plans our course, and it's beautiful to see all that God has for us that we haven't planned for... those have been some of the most beautiful and most successful parts of my life- different aspects of ministry (in Lancaster), meeting Brad (when I was planning to go home), even going to Brazil (when I had planned to go to Mexico). Because He has been so good to me, I commit all I do to the Lord and put it in His hands.
Successful Servanthood points toward God
4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Cor. 6:4-10)
Servanthood is not easy. In fact, it's quite difficult. Being a servant is an act of humility, of constantly pointing toward the other and considering the other as more important. As servants of God, we seek to point toward the Lord in every moment. We don't want the glory for ourselves; we don't want people to even recognize us as their servants. Instead, we give our lives to serving the Lord through serving others, hoping to bring the knowledge of Him to those who don't have Him yet.
It's interesting to note the different types of things Paul includes here.
Difficulties (when we act as servants of God): hardships and distresses, in hard work, etc
Attributes (how we act as servants of God): in purity, kindness, etc
Insults & Offenses (what we endure as servants of God): regarded as unknown, dying, beaten, sorrowful, poor, having nothing
Gifts (what we gain as servants of God): known, living on, always rejoicing, making many rich, possessing everything
So, in being a servant of God, we may endure trials, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit will help us to continue to act as servants of God. Even when we face insults and injury, we will be blessed in many ways by all that we have in knowing and serving the Lord our God.
Lord, even when we know it may be difficult, we give this up to You. Show us the way. We put it all in Your hand. Guide us dear Father. We are Your servants.
No comments:
Post a Comment