Posted by Jenn Jones on May 14, 2014
I often find myself worrying that what I am doing is not getting results. Talking to people about issues, worldview and faith, yet so often is seems like no one cares or listens. I know I have been called on to be a voice, and even though every day I struggle with the uncertainty of whether I am qualified or good enough to be a voice in that respect, I also know I have to keep on.
God created us each for a specific purpose at a specific time in His plan. That is the part that is hard to grasp in our tiny human brains. We think of our time and our plan – but that is miniscule in comparison to God’s. We see things in the immediate – He sees things in the eternal. We think being called by God must mean something grand and amazing in the eyes of everyone around us – but often times it seems meaningless or invisible to others. God sees it differently because He knows the entire story. What He calls us to do plays a vital part in that story which is one of the reasons that obedience is so important. But make no mistake if you refuse to obey the calling He places on you, He will fill your shoes with someone else because the story must continue.
John Quincy Adams once said, “The duty is ours, the results are God’s.” Put that in perspective for a moment. We are called to do whatever God created us for. Obedience is our duty. We are not to get caught up in results or if we are making progress or if we are making any difference – we are simply to do it. The Writer of the story is the one who is in charge of the results – when and how they come about. No matter what obstacles, challenges, attacks, ridicule or hardship we face we must always keep that in mind. The duty is ours, the results are God’s. When I let go of trying to be in control of the results and focus on the duty, it gives a sense of peace and purpose.
The prophet, Jeremiah, prophesied God’s message to the people for 40 years. He was imprisoned, persecuted, deported and ridiculed. He got angry with God for what was happening, but he never lost sight of his duty. He understood that he was playing a part and it was his duty to do it regardless of the consequences, knowing the whole time that the sovereign God was in control.
William Wilberforce worked for over 40 years to end the slave trade and free the slaves in England. Failing health and constant opposition didn’t stop him. He knew that he had been called to fight that battle and was obedient to his calling, knowing that the sovereign God was in control of the results. He once said, “Their more lowly paths have been allotted to them by the hand of God…it is their part faithfully to discharge its duties, and contentedly bear its inconveniences.” He understood we have a duty and that we must be obedient to that calling no matter what. His work paid off three days before he died.
The duty is ours, the results are God’s.
One of the hardest things for me to wrap my mind around is the fact that many of the things I am doing, teaching and talking about to fight for my country and the futures of my children, grandchildren and beyond is this: I will likely never see the results of what I am doing. I am an instant gratification person, like many others today. I want what I want when I want it, and if I don’t get it when I want it, then I move onto something else. But once I learned and accepted the truth it changed my heart and my mind. I am planting seeds. I don’t know what the harvest will be, but as long as I am planting seeds as called to do by my Savior, I have no need to worry about the outcome. He has it under control and He knows how it will play out in the end.
The duty is mine….the results are God’s.
