The danger of putting too much weight on what we do

Our society is always searching for significance.  We are constantly encourage to make our mark, told from a young age to dream big.  But that has a number of dangerous side effects, one of which I think plagues us in ministry.

I wonder if it leads us to place too much significance on our ministry.  I'm not saying it isn't significant, it is, it is an immense privilege to be called upon to teach the Bible, it is a serious thing, it is a glorious thing.  It is a tremendous calling to be called to pastor others, to guide them, to shepherd and care for them through life and towards eternal life.  It is a phenomenal responsibility and joy to be called to share the gospel with others.

But I wonder sometimes if we fall into the trap of putting too much weight on our role in God's kingdom.  It's there when we think "If we don't do it no one will."  "Or if this doesn't work as we want it too just think of the damage done to God's kingdom."  Or to view a set back as defeat.  Now the desire behind those thoughts is a good one, we want to see people won and wedded to Christ.  We want to see God's kingdom advance.  But we do not want that more than God does.

When Jesus teaches his disciples to pray he teaches them to pray "your kingdom come, your will be done..."  The challenge of the prayer is to align our thinking with God who is immeasurably more concerned about his kingdom than I am even in my best moments.  God's sovereignty means he will do that often in ways that I find surprising.  What I see as a closed door God sees as a means of grace.  What I see as damaging the kingdom, may do so to the visible eye temporarily but God will work it for his peoples good and his glory.

That truth must liberate me from being crushed by set backs, and it challenges me to trust in God's faithfulness and rule even over the things where I struggle to see it.  It calls me to find my place in God's kingdom not try to mould God's will to my vision of God's kingdom.