As the woman shared her testimonies with her pastor, she pointed to various material blessings. After taking time to listen to her, the pastor was led to ask; “Out of all these things you talked about, tell me one thing you have that some unbelievers do not have.” That’s when it dawned on her that she’s focusing on wrong things.
Friend, God argues with results (Matthew 7:23). This idea that God does not argue with results is the reason our society has produced crooks in the name of successful people. Unfortunately, this has also crept into the church. We celebrate people’s results without checking the process that leads to the results (2 Timothy 2:19).
Most times, testimonies of consecrated and transformed lives do not receive the applause that testimonies of physical results receive (Philippians 2:12-13). If someone shared a testimony of how God helped him to say no to sin, we just look away from it as if it’s nothing (Hebrews 12:4). But we give a standing ovation for the testimony of someone who just won a government contract.
If Joseph and Daniel were to be in our day, they would not be celebrated. Notice what the Bible celebrated about this duo, and you would realise that what God looks at is not what man looks at (1 Samuel 16:7). For Joseph, he went into prison for his consecration, and heaven saw it as a testimony. What about Daniel, who was thrown into the lion’s den (Daniel 6:16)?
Until we start to look at results the way God does, we would not produce strong and spiritually healthy Christians (2 Chronicles 16:9). Sometimes, what people hear in church on Sunday puts them under pressure throughout the week. In a bid to share testimonies, many Christians have resorted to compromise (2 Peter 2:15, Jude 1:11).
The fact that someone gets results does not mean divine approval (Revelation 3:1). The fact that someone does not get results as others does not mean that God is not with him. Joseph was a slave, yet God was with him (Genesis 39:1-2). Moses struck the rock to get water, yet God disapproved of what he did (Numbers 20:9-12). With God, the end does not justify the means. It is the means that justifies the end.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria