I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
Father, I realize I can do nothing apart from You. Sin and the world tell me that what I set my mind to I can accomplish. There is a quote that I remember from my childhood that rings loud in my mind: “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” This mindset of autonomy and self-sufficiency drive home this line of thinking especially when I don’t achieve the successes I aspire to. I find myself nobly not blaming or looking outside of myself, but instead asserting that I did not adequately prepare or that I did not do this or that.
Yet, in the end, success and failure truly has nothing to do with me. There have been others who have done far less, made more mistakes, and stayed less focus, and still hit their mark. And there have been those who have done far more and still fill short. That tells me that it is not about me. It all depends upon Your grace. That is not to say that I should not put forth the effort or prepare. No. That as my reasonable worship of You (Colossians 3:23-24). Instead, it tells me where I should shift my focus.
Therefore, today I purpose not to be all bound up in the results, placing them on this miraculous pedestal, believing that they are the ultimate purpose. Instead, I shall focus on my effort, letting others see my commitment to You through what I do, knowing that I own the effort and You own the results. And when I get good results, I will praise and glorify You for they are evidence of Your grace in my life because I frankly don’t deserve success. No matter how good I am in the moment there are always things that I don’t get right. Yet, You still bless me in spite of me. Indeed, I can do nothing without You and I praise You for what You are accomplishing through me. I yield to You today and the movement of Your Spirit in my life. Bring about a good work in me to Your glory in Jesus’ Name. Amen.