“Sadly, we are not able to report that anyone was saved.”

The words pricked my heart for these missionaries who had just expended time, effort and resources on two major outreaches with little to show for it.
Anyone who has been in ministry for long can probably relate. We expended a great deal of prayer, promotion, and preparation for an event that was sure to blow the church doors wide open. But when the much-anticipated day came, the turnout was small, the weather didn’t cooperate or we just didn’t see the results we had hoped for.
How do we respond when hope is overrun by disappointment? Three thoughts taken away from the letter sent by these missionaries who were not at all deterred by the results of the outreach.

I. We Need To Trust
We have God’s promise that His Word will not return void. One of the greatest mistakes we can make in ministry is believing that the responsibility for the results is ours.
The Holy Spirit’s work in man’s heart through God’s Word is what changes lives, not our finite plans. The powerful work He is doing may never be revealed in the short term. Seeds planted may not sprout immediately, but eventually may yield a great crop.
We are the laborers, the harvest is His alone.

II. We Need To Remember God’s Calling
So often we make the mistake of affirming God’s calling with a level success. If a pastor does not have the big numbers, if a missionary does not have great report, if we don’t have…
Where in Scripture do we find God calling us to success? The only thing God calls us to is obedience!
If we follow God in obedience to His call, we will be successful according to His definition, not ours.
Heaven, not an event will reveal the success of our ministry.

III. We Need To Prepare
Is God finished with us because we did not hit a home run with our last event? The fact that we are still breathing is evidence that God is not done with us yet.
We heard stories of church planters who lead great soul winning churches, that totally bombed on their first (or second) attempt. But obedience to God’s calling will eventually bring His blessings.
God’s desire for us is abundance. The next time we struggle with “our results”, we need to trust, remember and prepare for “His results!”
What thoughts would you add to the list above?

By Mike Duff