Offerings & Outcomes...
Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 12:26PM 
Happy Wednesday, Friends! Susie Larson here…
And to those visiting, I say welcome. I post every Wednesday and my sole purpose is to nourish your soul along the way. I so appreciate your comments and insights as well. Hope today’s post blesses and encourages you.
Now on to my topic…
Isn’t it something how we may think we understand a certain truth or concept and then God drives it deeper into our souls? He is profoundly wise in the way that He teaches us the secrets of the Kingdom. He unveils truth to the degree that we’re ready to receive it, believe it, and walk in it.
I’ve recently begun to understand—on a deeper level—that though God cares about my choices, He does not owe me the outcome that I expect to result from my choices. Plain and simple, He is my master. He decides how my life will go. My efforts (in every area of life) are an offering to the Lord. They’re not a factor in an equation that guarantees a certain outcome.
Whatever we do, we must do it as unto God, trusting Him to take our offering and multiply it according to the need of the moment and according to His perfect will in His perfect time. Outcomes are in His hands.
People (including our children, spouses, friends, bosses, etc.), have a free will to choose as they will. And God, in His sovereignty works all things together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (see Romans 8:28).
Once the offering (of raising our kids, loving our spouses, serving our bosses, etc.) leaves our hands, we must remember that we cannot control the outcome. But we can rest and trust knowing that God treasures every seed we sow, every offering we bring, and every prayer that we pray.
When we even begin to think that our efforts guarantee a certain outcome in the lives of others, we put ourselves above God, for even He does not exert His will in another’s life without their invitation.
If we view our efforts as a foolproof method or formula, we may become impossibly prideful and even judgmental. For example, if we apply certain parenting principles while raising our children, and none of them go off the deep end, we’ll tend to attribute their success to our investment. We’ll wonder why others don’t just do the formula. The truth is, even our most sincere efforts fall painfully short without the Holy Spirit’s involvement in our lives.
Our whole lives are an offering. Our choices do matter. And it’s true that what we sow, we grow. But we must not discount another’s free will or even the mystery and sovereignty of God. We love our kids, for the glory of God. We bless our husbands, for the glory of God. We respect our bosses for the glory of God. We tithe to our church, for the glory of God (not so we'll have a say on the color of the choir robes).
If we attach an expectation to our efforts, we begin to see God as a means to an end. When in truth, He owes us nothing. But He’s offered us everything.
Please hear me clearly: it matters that we apply godly principles to raising our children. It matters that we honor the authority in our lives and that we love and respect our spouses. But if we tie a string from our efforts to the outcome we expect, we’ll become manipulative, we'll experience disappointment, or we’ll take the credit for something God deserves the glory for.
I’m convinced that if we view our whole lives as an offering to God, and we trust Him to do what only He can do, we’ll actually be surprised by His divine involvement in our lives. With a humble heart and open hands, we’ll lift our arms in praise, knowing and proclaiming that every good gift comes from above.
So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession (James 1:16-18).
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Reader Comments (3)
This is for me today. Trusting God in a job switch for my husband. Thank you Susie, for these words from Him to my heart.
Bless you and your gift of writing Susie....thank you for that hand delivered message right from God to me. God is showing me this very thing. I've had the grip on tight and it's time to loosen the white knuckles. Enough meddling, hovering and attempting to "pursuade" (control) the outcome. I love where you say trying to guarantee the outcome of our efforts...it's not how God works. Another beautiful message.
I am noticing something alittle disturbing on some religious TV shows. It is the philosophy that we should give or tithe above our means expecting God to richly bless us above and beyond our wildest expectations. You are right in that God does not owe us anything. I was stuggling with this very issue afew weeks back when it came time to put an offering in the offering plate at church. We do not have a great looking crop this year and financial pressures are tight. I struggled with whether or not we should cut back on giving. Should we continue to give above our present means expecting God to honor this and bless us more or are we tempting God? I remember well when Satan tempted Jesus to throw himelf from a mountain top and angels would surely save him. Jesus told Satan not to tempt the Lord God. God blesses us when we give not expecting anything in return. It is not scriptural to give in expectation of something greater in return. Jesus died to save us while we were yet in our sin. He did not wait until we were "good enough" to die for! So often these days we buy into the idea that if we do something in a positive effort we are going to get somethng of equal or greater value in return.
Great post Susie on a popular subject I have struggled with recently myself! Bless you!
Betty M from ND