Leave the Results to God

Bobbe and John, and Chris, and Kathy and I got together Saturday morning to discuss our journey as writers.
I shared that, in writing my last three novels (all related to each other) I've had two ministry goals:

1. to help those who struggle with fear
2. to illustrate the fact that though we may feel God has turned His back on us in times of great trial, God never...never abandons His children. 

I said that, though I'm not a control freak, I do have very specific ideas about what my readers will glean from the stories I've written.
John shared that, as a former pastor, he's had many people come up to him after the church service and thank him for his sermon, then go on to say, "I particularly liked it when you said..."
Then the appreciative one would mention something that John is sure he never said in that sermon. He finally concluded that the listener must have been hearing the translation of God during his sermon.

Powerful words from John. And very humbling, too.

I'd like to control the effect of my stories and my messages.
But sometimes God will overrule.

Once my story has been published, it's up to God what each reader will take away.
I need to be okay with that.
Just as I need to let God do His work and not get in the way.

I suppose this is true for all Believers. We imagine, then anticipate the effect of our "doing."

• We share our testimony and suppose that our words will convince our listeners.
• We sing a beautiful song and wonder if our performance changed the hearts of those who heard it.
• we raise our children the best we know how and imagine great things
• We compose a sermon, 
• we write a lesson,
• we demonstrate kindness or charity,
• we forgive,
• we pray...

and anticipate.

Then we are disappointed when we do not see the hoped-for result.
But God knows what He intends to accomplish. It may not be at all what we imagine the result to be.

Just as the Apostle Paul said, "So neither he who plants, not he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." (l Cor. 3:7 NIV)

 Leave the result to the Lord.
After all, He is the Lord.
And we are not.

"Can you fathom the mysteries of God?
Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
They are higher than the heavens—what can you do?
They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know?" (Job 11:7, 8 NIV)