Trouble MakersSample

//Redefine the Win//

Have you ever seen someone win, and at the same time, lose at life? I’ve seen it happen so many times: someone will win a game, and lose the respect of those around them because of how they played the game.

As a pastor, I constantly have to remind myself what the “WIN” is for me. It’s generally not in how many people fill a seat, but how much growth is happening in the people sitting in those seats.

We tend to think of success as a binary thing: either you win, or you lose, and wins and losses are calculated by a single metric. The good news is, that’s not how God views winning.

When I was in high school, I had a moment where I felt God nudging me to invite one of my friends to church. I reluctantly did and to my surprise, they said yes! My friend came to youth group and I even told my youth pastor that my friend was coming, just to make sure that he included an invitation to say yes to Jesus.

I prayed the whole service, “God please let my friend say yes to you.” And when that time came for the altar call I had this laser focus on my friend to see if he would raise his hand. He did not raise his hand. I left that night so defeated because I knew God wanted me to invite him, yet I felt responsible that he didn’t say yes.

That night I had a tough prayer time with God. I was angry, upset and disappointed. God reminded me of a scripture that says “It’s not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process, but God who makes things grow.” I realized that I had to redefine the win. I felt like I had failed, but God was trying to encourage me that I had actually won. I just didn’t know it. This verse shows us that sometimes we all want to be the one that walks someone across the finish line of faith, but God is more concerned with your obedience than the results.

1) REFLECT: Have you been feeling like a failure because of something that wasn’t even your responsibility?

2) REACH: When is the last time you just obeyed the directions you felt God was nudging you toward?

3. RESPOND: In your prayer time, ask God what would He consider a win in your life. What is the next challenge that He would have you attempt?