We all suffer, to some degree or another, from the sense of ... not enough. I mean, "Am I contributing enough? Am I doing enough? Am I meeting my potential?" We especially wonder if we're making a difference for God. Did we speak up when we should? Are we doing what we should? We all suffer this kind of thing. And, of course, the answer isn't positive since we all fall short.
The problem here, of course, is that we're looking in the wrong direction. We're looking at the wrong things for the wrong reasons. You see, Jesus didn't save us to be perfect. He didn't choose us because He had such high expectations. Instead, Jesus said, "If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you" (Mat 17:20). A mustard seed of faith. Not much. Now, let's ask ourselves, what does that tiny bit of faith do? Nothing. Our proverbial mountain is not moved by faith; it's moved by God. In fact, Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Which is not a little something. Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1 Cor 3:6). So, yes, we participate with Him in His work, but ... it's His work.
There is a hymn from the 1920's titled, "Little is Much When God is in It." The truth is all that we produce is produced by Him and His power. He's not baffled, trapped, stumped, working hard to get done what He hoped we'd do. No. Never. He gets done what He wants done, and any of our "Oh, my, I didn't do enough" is arrogance, thinking God is depending on us and we're slowing Him down. We aren't adequate for the task. We are useful. And only when He makes us so. Don't get trapped into thinking more of yourself than you ought. We bring what we bring and He gives the growth.
2 comments:
We are caught in a dichotomy. On one hand, we can never work sufficiently for God's Kingdom. There is always something more that we could be doing more or better. On the other hand, we are working exactly as God has intended by His working through us. We are responsible for our action or inaction, but we can only accomplish anything through God's good work in and through us. I think that is both motivating and humbling.
Your thoughts today seem to echo the admonition, “don’t think too highly of yourself…or too lowly” (from your 3/13/25 post, “Arrogant Humility”). They also bring to my mind Paul’s words in 2 Cor. 12:9-10: “And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ … For when I am weak, then I am strong.” All that matters is the Lord’s abilities and power, not mine, as you say; we can offer very little to God in the vast scope of His infinite plan, since He is lacking nothing in Himself. God needs no one, but when faith is present, He works through anyone. Rather than ability, He will use our availability. Happily, I do have that requisite “tiny bit of faith,” which I gladly offer to Him to use however He wishes. To God be the glory!
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