Failure and Success

No man is worthy to succeed until he is willing to fail. No man is morally worthy of success in religious activities until he is willing that the honor of succeeding should go to another if God so wills.

Born After Midnight, 58.

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Failure and Success: I Refuse to Compete

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. –1 Corinthians 3:7-8

“Dear Lord, I refuse henceforth to compete with any of Thy servants. They have congregations larger than mine. So be it. I rejoice in their success. They have greater gifts. Very well. That is not in their power nor in mine. I am humbly grateful for their greater gifts and my smaller ones. I only pray that I may use to Thy glory such modest gifts as I possess. I will not compare myself with any, nor try to build up my self-esteem by noting where I may excel one or another in Thy holy work. I herewith make a blanket disavowal of all intrinsic worth. I am but an unprofitable servant. I gladly go to the foot of the class and own myself the least of Thy people. If I err in my self judgment and actually underestimate myself I do not want to know it. I purpose to pray for others and to rejoice in their prosperity as if it were my own. And indeed it is my own if it is Thine own, for what is Thine is mine, and while one plants and another waters it is Thou alone that giveth the increase.” The Price of Neglect, 104-105.

“Amen.”

On this day...

• Using multiple translations gives more meaning - 2011
• I asked for men's room - 2011
• Your opinion isn't the only Christian one - 2011
• Hungering and reaching to God - 2011
• THE WAY OF ABRAHAM IN FAITH - 2009
• Psalms 27:1 - 2007
• John 10:28 - 2007
• Song of Solomon 2:16 - 2007
• Acts 2:4 - 2007
• HAVE YOU COME TO "WHEN" YET? - 2007