HH, Sir Godfrey Gregg D.Div
God has a plan for each of us. Our job is not to debate the things He has given us to do. Our job is to do those things.
So, the first thing we must do is submit to God’s will. Second, we must depend on His grace. As we think about the jobs God has given us to do it is often overwhelming. Our job is to move forward and trust that God, in His magnificent grace, will provide what we need. He will give us the words to say. He will give us the courage we need. As someone has said, “God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.” Don’t miss that. God is not looking for gifted people He can use; God is looking for willing people whom He can equip.
It’s not easy to serve God. It is hard to start a conversation with someone about their relationship with Christ. It is difficult to go against the tide of public opinion. It is difficult to pursue excellence when everyone around you is satisfied with mediocrity. It’s hard to continue to follow when the weight of life’s responsibilities weighs you down.
In 2 Corinthians Paul tells us that he had learned a very valuable lesson. He learned that God’s grace is sufficient for us. He discovered that when he felt the weakest and the most inadequate but still tried to do what was right, those were the very times he was actually the strongest. In those times He had to depend more fully on God’s strength. God’s strength never disappoints.
I wish I could count the number of times I have walked into a home or a hospital room or greeted someone in my office in a crisis situation and felt completely unequipped. There are times I walk into the pulpit and wonder what God could possibly do through me. So often in those times, I discover a supernatural strength. The words seem to come and people are helped. On the other side, I have also walked into a pulpit thinking, “I have really got something good to share” and found that my words lacked power. The point is: it is His strength which leads us.
We must submit to His will, We must depend on His grace and Third, we must seek in all circumstances to promote His glory. The key to truly blooming where we have been planted is to remember that our job is not to promote ourselves . . . it is to promote Him.
“Practicing the Presence of God” is a classic book by brother Lawrence who was a monk who sought to glorify God in everything he did. Brother Lawrence was content to wash dishes to the glory of God. I truly believe that God is honoured more when we serve Him in the shadows than when we serve Him in the crowds. Much of what we do publicly is designed to gain the praise of men. What we do when no one else is looking is the true test of character and of faith.
The bottom line is this: the true measure of faithfulness will not be what people say about us; the true measure of faithfulness will be how others view God because of us. It doesn’t matter if no one knows our name as long as they see Jesus in us. It doesn’t matter if we get credit for our work in this world. What matters is that God’s glory is promoted.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW ….
