Success in Ministry

I was recently driving and listening to a podcast (I'll be writing soon about podcasts I subscribe to) of a conversation between John Piper and John MacArthur. Something John MacArthur said really resonated with me, he said that in ministry, he only worries about the depth and not the breadth of his ministry. Now that you are all confused I will explain further. MacArthur explains it with some of my favorite illustrations, sports. In football, for instance, you cannot control the outcome of a game by yourself. There are eleven guys on the opposite side of the ball who are trying to stop you from doing what you want to do, and there are ten other guys on your side who have to do things right for you to be able to do the thing you want to do. You might have to read that sentence a few times to understand what I'm trying to say, but basically it is simply that all things are not always in your control. This is not a fun pill to swallow for some, but if your pride allows you to swallow it, then this fact is extremely freeing. God is in control of everything, you are not! MacArthur's specific application of this fact in ministry is that you cannot control your successes. You are not the one who is responsible for your success. All you can account for is effort; just like in sports. Just as in the middle of a football game all you can do is try your best to tackle the man with the ball, all you can do in ministry is do your best, and God takes care of the rest. This includes making sure you are close to God in you personal life, that you are following God in your family, in your marriage, that you are painstakingly checking your messages for truth. That you are giving the best effort, that you are putting yourself fully into ministry. The harvest of that effort is completely up to God. Worry about the depth, not the breadth of your ministry.