Am I Stealing Gods Glory?

[Cmhopkins86]

Deleted.. thanks for replies.

 

[Drick]

There is nothing wrong with having pride in the good things you witness and participate in. Sometimes, things just don't work out as you expect, even when it comes to spreading the good word. Take it from a guy who knows tons of preachers and pastors and bishops, they mess up all the time. They just don't make a fuss over it because they've long-since learned that failure sometimes just comes with the package.

By the way, just my personal opinion:

(one of my leaders said if you're ever confident before sharing, just don't share, bc it's likely all you and not the Lord)

I think this is terrible advice. To me, it sounds like code for either "Make sure to put on a humble face", which everyone hates, or "Don't let your pride get in the way of your goal", which is much more noble and helpful than what was actually said.

 

[Neogaia777]

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Hi all,

Was wondering if any who are in ministry have ever gone through this or something similar:

Once a month I do prison ministry and also once a month help lead our 20's Young Adults group at church. When Im preparing and everything starts coming together and I perceive what the Lord is wanting to share, I'll get excited. You know there are times when you're not sure what to speak on or are underprepared and just HOPE God comes through, and then there are times when you know that you know, with abundant scripture, that He is giving you something very powerful to share!

Well, this happened tonight. There were so many good scriptures coming to mind and He confirmed He wanted me to share on stewardship among other things. So I shared a bit with my mom beforehand to get feedback.( I think this was mistake number one. I let her validate the message/my delivery/me instead of trusting God with it.)
As I'm driving to small group I feel on top of the world, like high on life and full of confidence. (Normally I tend toward not being too confident). I'm also usually anxious before I share, which i think is healthy to some degree as you are about to teach Gods Word (one of my leaders said if you're ever confident before sharing, just don't share, bc it's likely all you and not the Lord). I caught onto this mood change in myself and suspected it was pride so I prayed extra hard for God to keep me humble and not let me think this Word I would be sharing was from me or my doing.

Well, once I get there and time comes to share, I'm STUMBLING over my words. I was waiting for God to take over but no scripture is coming to mind and it's a struggle to stay focused and remember what order I was going to share what (I took a lot of notes but always have trouble sticking to them). Nothing is flowing. I can't remember my scriptures anymore. Everything was so connected and made so much sense as I was prepping and sharing with my mom, but when I shared with the group, it just came out sideways, and not all of what I had planned even came out. I just don't believe it was as impactful as the Lord had meant for it to be. What I shared with my mom, even in "rough draft" form, was probably 2x better than what came out at group- not because of my delivery but because of all the awesome scriptures and how they related to each other. At the small group it just wasn't 'anointed'. You know you can tell when the Holy Spirit is just speaking so strongly through you, and other times it's like He seems to "leave you hanging" so to speak..

Is this making sense to anyone out there? I've only been ministering like this for around 2 years and am just wondering if this is something normal. Even for worship leaders and musicians, can you identify God doing something similar in your area of ministry?

Is it because of pride and insecurity, that the Lord allowed this reproach, in order that I would learn to shift my identity more totally to Him and not desire the praise of people, thereby rising and falling on their praise or lack thereof?

Was this confidence really just a manifestation of my flesh, and I was in the flesh while sharing, and therefore not able to connect with the Spirit?

Or in my pride am I just being absurdly self focused about this whole thing?

Also need healing from past rejection and abandonment. I know at times when the Lord has used me mightily that I have allowed the praise people gave (Good word! Good job! Wow, etc) to go to my head instead of giving God all the glory. As gross as it sounds, Could I be medicating these wounds with peoples praise? And Is this not what you would call stealing Gods glory?

As far as I can tell since this has happened off and on since I started sharing/speaking, it's Gods way of processing my soul, humbling me so that I learn to "stay out of the way". It's embarrassing and a powerful motivator to change when God allows you to look less knowledgeable, less spiritual, less 'apt' or able in general.. in front of a room full of your peers. But if God can deliver me of this, when He delivers me of this, I know it will all be worth it, because He will be able to use me more.

Thanks so so much for any wisdom or encouragement
Christy

I don't think it is pride at all if you feel confident, have a message to share and enjoy ministering for the Lord. I love every moment when I a preaching God's Word and the time just goes so fast. I enjoy writing, and am amazed what comes out when there is a flow of thought.

But we need to know that we are earthen vessels, subject to failure and shortcoming. There will be times when you feel that you haven't done it right, but what you feel is not important. It is the impact that your words have on those who are listening to you. Sometimes, just one or two words can cause a person to receive Christ.

I always feel a sense of apprehension when I go up to preach, and I often ask the Lord for help. There have been times when I felt that I didn't really get the message across too well, but people told me that it was one of my best sermons. So, go figure!

I think that the antidote is to spend time with God just chatting to Him about what you believe, and discussing passages of Scripture with Him. Asking questions is good, and then as you go into a discussion about what you think the answers might be, you get a flow of thought and then realise that God is answering your questions as you are speaking to Him.

That way, you will always have a message to share, and the Holy Spirit is free to give you that flow of thought as and when you need it.

Instead of listen to and taking on board others who accuse you of being proud, if you go to God and ask Him that question, I will bet my bottom dollar that He wont agree with the. An elder once criticised me after a service, and on my way home I asked the Lord if it came from Him. He said, "Nope". That changed my depressed mood and I went on my way rejoicing.

 

[tturt]

Know a minister who greets before the message because he knows that he has to deal with the Good job! Good word! afterwards. I respect him more for that.

 

[SkyWriting]

Hi all,

Was wondering if any who are in ministry have ever gone through this or something similar:

Once a month I do prison ministry and also once a month help lead our 20's Young Adults group at church. When Im preparing and everything starts coming together and I perceive what the Lord is wanting to share, I'll get excited. You know there are times when you're not sure what to speak on or are underprepared and just HOPE God comes through, and then there are times when you know that you know, with abundant scripture, that He is giving you something very powerful to share!

Well, this happened tonight. There were so many good scriptures coming to mind and He confirmed He wanted me to share on stewardship among other things. So I shared a bit with my mom beforehand to get feedback.( I think this was mistake number one. I let her validate the message/my delivery/me instead of trusting God with it.)
As I'm driving to small group I feel on top of the world, like high on life and full of confidence. (Normally I tend toward not being too confident). I'm also usually anxious before I share, which i think is healthy to some degree as you are about to teach Gods Word (one of my leaders said if you're ever confident before sharing, just don't share, bc it's likely all you and not the Lord). I caught onto this mood change in myself and suspected it was pride so I prayed extra hard for God to keep me humble and not let me think this Word I would be sharing was from me or my doing.

Well, once I get there and time comes to share, I'm STUMBLING over my words. I was waiting for God to take over but no scripture is coming to mind and it's a struggle to stay focused and remember what order I was going to share what (I took a lot of notes but always have trouble sticking to them). Nothing is flowing. I can't remember my scriptures anymore. Everything was so connected and made so much sense as I was prepping and sharing with my mom, but when I shared with the group, it just came out sideways, and not all of what I had planned even came out. I just don't believe it was as impactful as the Lord had meant for it to be. What I shared with my mom, even in "rough draft" form, was probably 2x better than what came out at group- not because of my delivery but because of all the awesome scriptures and how they related to each other. At the small group it just wasn't 'anointed'. You know you can tell when the Holy Spirit is just speaking so strongly through you, and other times it's like He seems to "leave you hanging" so to speak..

Is this making sense to anyone out there? I've only been ministering like this for around 2 years and am just wondering if this is something normal. Even for worship leaders and musicians, can you identify God doing something similar in your area of ministry?

Is it because of pride and insecurity, that the Lord allowed this reproach, in order that I would learn to shift my identity more totally to Him and not desire the praise of people, thereby rising and falling on their praise or lack thereof?

Was this confidence really just a manifestation of my flesh, and I was in the flesh while sharing, and therefore not able to connect with the Spirit?

Or in my pride am I just being absurdly self focused about this whole thing?

Also need healing from past rejection and abandonment. I know at times when the Lord has used me mightily that I have allowed the praise people gave (Good word! Good job! Wow, etc) to go to my head instead of giving God all the glory. As gross as it sounds, Could I be medicating these wounds with peoples praise? And Is this not what you would call stealing Gods glory?

As far as I can tell since this has happened off and on since I started sharing/speaking, it's Gods way of processing my soul, humbling me so that I learn to "stay out of the way". It's embarrassing and a powerful motivator to change when God allows you to look less knowledgeable, less spiritual, less 'apt' or able in general.. in front of a room full of your peers. But if God can deliver me of this, when He delivers me of this, I know it will all be worth it, because He will be able to use me more.

Thanks so so much for any wisdom or encouragement
Christy

Welcome, brand new member making your first post.
This is a matter for your support staff at your church.
Not so much total strangers who don't know you.
You are supposed to have people to guide you when
you are a leader.

 

[Tolworth John]

once I get there and time comes to share, I'm STUMBLING over my words. I was waiting for God to take over but no scripture is coming to mind and it's a struggle to stay focused and remember what order I was going to share

If you cannot remember your words. Write them out in full several times and reciect them out loud while driving to work etc.
If you still can't rember your lines. Type them out, double spaced and read them at your meeting.
It is what you have to say that is important not whether you can remember the words.