Have you ever ever observed the methods God works to humble us? I typically marvel on the lengths He’ll go to maintain me humble. I keep in mind an expertise that taught me an necessary lesson in humility from a couple of years in the past. It was an expertise that I might have simply glossed over, however fortunately, the Lord opened my eyes to this necessary and teachable second.
One night, I used to be with my children on the outside playground of a neighborhood church after I noticed one in all my pastor associates strolling into the church constructing. I greeted him, and we started chatting when one other man walked up. It took me a second, however I quickly realized that I knew this man. I had spent a while counseling him whereas he was attending our church. As we briefly caught up, he knowledgeable me that he had been assembly this pastor for counseling, and relayed how transformative it had been for him and his household.
I might like to say I used to be strolling within the Spirit and never the flesh in that second, however sadly, there was a bit sting in my coronary heart as I heard these phrases. As an alternative of being joyful, my thoughts instantly jumped to ideas of, “What was mistaken with my counseling?” “What errors did I make?” “How come I wasn’t in a position to assist him?” It’s shameful to confess how shortly I turned this case into one thing about myself, greater than about celebrating the transformation that was taking place on this man’s life.
Shortly after we parted methods, there was one other sting, however this time it was the Holy Spirit nudging me with these truths: “It’s not about you; it’s about what I’m doing on this man’s life. You have been an instrument for a season. Trust in me and the work I’m doing.”
I imagine the Apostle Paul captures this effectively within the first few chapters of his letter to the Corinthian church:
“What then is Apollos? What’s Paul? Servants by means of whom you believed, because the Lord assigned to every. I planted, Apollos watered, however God gave the expansion. So neither he who crops nor he who waters is something, however solely God who offers the expansion. He who crops and he who waters are one, and every will obtain his wages in response to his labor. For we’re God’s fellow staff. You’re God’s area, God’s constructing” (1 Cor. 3:5-9).
Realizing Your Place
We all know that Paul is scripting this letter to the Corinthians in response to points which have arisen throughout the church. It was a church that Paul himself planted throughout one in all his missionary journeys to Greece within the e book of Acts. It was a church that he spent an excessive amount of time with, and an excessive amount of time writing to. There’s proof that he wrote no less than three letters, solely two of that are included within the canon of Scripture. Paul had a deeply private reference to the church at Corinth, and but it’s clear from this passage in 1 Corinthians that Paul knew his place.
There isn’t a trace of delight or vanity in Paul’s phrases right here. He’s not pulling rank or lording his authority over the Corinthians. He is aware of his function and his calling. Pay attention once more to what he says in verse 5, “What then is Apollos? What’s Paul? Servants by means of whom you believed, because the Lord assigned to every.” Paul is at first a servant, with an assigned obligation from the Lord. He is aware of who his commanding officer is and what his marching orders are.
As I started to replicate alone state of affairs, I noticed that I wanted to develop in humility. As an alternative of being prideful and overestimating my function, I wanted to see my place as a mere servant, with an assigned activity. Like Paul, I wanted to shift my focus from myself and see the wonderful work that the Lord was engaging in in numerous methods, by means of totally different individuals.
Celebrating the Progress
Paul makes use of the analogy of farming to speak concerning the church. The church is in comparison with a area the place many laborers are employed to work the land. However as Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 3, he factors to the unmistakable proven fact that God alone is the one who offers development. The church at Corinth skilled development, not merely due to the efforts of Paul and Apollos. The church grew as a result of God Himself was graciously nourishing it. There’s an important consolation on this actuality, and Paul is aware of this. If we faithfully perform the duties that God places earlier than us, then we are able to have a good time collectively the expansion that God offers and benefit from the rewards that come on the harvest time, “For we’re God’s fellow staff” (1 Cor 3:9a).
Coming again to my expertise, I additionally acknowledged that I wanted to have a good time what God was doing on this man’s life. He wasn’t floundering. He wasn’t drifting away from the religion. As an alternative, he was rising, studying, and listening to the voice of God. He was changing into a extra diligent husband and father. He was prioritizing his involvement in the neighborhood of religion and searching for out sensible, godly counsel. As a fellow employee, I might truly benefit from the fruits of what God was doing.
Our involvement in individuals’s lives is only one a part of the story that God is unfolding, and humility retains us grounded by not overestimating our price within the course of that God is directing. By God’s grace, we now have the privilege of laboring within the area, however it is usually by God’s grace that we aren’t liable for the expansion. God is a lot greater than we’re, and He has limitless assets at His disposal. Let’s reward Him for the truth that He even chooses to make use of us within the first place!
Questions for Reflection
- The place have you ever seen delight rear its ugly head in your counseling ministry?
- Are you able to determine and have a good time the expansion that’s taking place in your counselee’s lives, particularly when it doesn’t instantly contain you?
- Are you praying that God will convey different “planters” and “waterers” into the lives of these you counsel?
