March 5, 2025 Devo

We often have conversations among our staff about trying to lead with excellence. As pastors, we want to do our very best for God. Therefore, we’re constantly evaluating our services, events, and systems and asking if there are things we can do better. But there’s an unhealthiness you can go to with such things. It’s the illusion that spiritual outcomes are totally dependent upon the work that WE do or the environment WE create. That’s putting our faith in ourselves, not God.
We want our music to be great. We want our services to flow smoothly and eliminate unnecessary distractions. We want our preaching to be powerful and compelling. But we always have to remind ourselves that no matter how good we are or how wonderful the environments we create, it’s still God who has to do the heavy lifting. He’s the only one who can save a soul. He’s the only one who can heal a broken heart. He’s the only one who can break the chains of addictions, repair crumbling marriages, or breathe life into a hopeless soul. No matter how many wonderful tools we have to work with, the ultimate work is in His Hands.
That might be a good thing for some of us to keep in mind. In our passage today, David reminds the people that strong armies are nice, but the battle belongs to the Lord. As a warrior, he worked hard to be prepared for the battles he would fight. But he knew that, ultimately, the outcome was in the hands of God. Great point. Some of us take way too much responsibility for things over which we have no control. There are problems we can’t fix no matter how much experience or expertise we bring to the table. There are waters of life we can’t navigate, no matter how skilled or wise we may think we are. There are people that we can’t change, no matter how hard we try. The BIG battles, the REAL battles, always belong to the Lord.
So I invite you today to come to Him with your battles. Yes, by all means, do your best. Yes, give everything you’ve got to whatever opportunities you have. Yes, be excellent and give your best efforts whenever God gives you an opportunity to serve, lead, or share. But always remember that the HARD WORK is always done by Him. Excellence is in your hands. Outcomes are in His. Know the difference. That’s God’s Word for you today.