Have you ever been so disappointed in someone you wanted to drop that person?

Perhaps it’s someone you’ve been mentoring.
Perhaps it’s someone you’ve been trying to witness to.
Perhaps your friend?
Perhaps your spouse?
Or maybe even your own children?

After a while, you think to yourself, “What’s the point? S/he will never change! I give up!”

I can’t tell you how many times I thought that as a pastor. It’s not uncommon that I think about quitting out of ministry all together when I see the same debilitating sin and pattern in people I’m ministering to. (Don’t worry. I’m not thinking of quitting. It’s just a thought that goes through ALL pastors time to time)

While reading Psalm 35:12, which says, “They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn,” I realized something.

That is, if my goal is to change people and have them come to Christ, and not as an act of worship onto the Lord first, then I’ll burn myself out of the ministry.

As lofty a goal as bringing someone to Christ is, it cannot be my primary goal. My first and really only goal must be to do everything as an act of worship onto the Lord. Then, even if the desired outcome does not come about, my work does not become meaningless.

Do you want your effort to count? Don’t look to the actual result or outcome. Look to Christ. He is the reason why you are doing what you are doing.

“Only what’s done for, through, and in Christ will last!”

PH