The Most Important Principle I've Learned in 2012

The most important principle I've learned in 2012- I'm not responsible for the outcome; I am responsible for the effort.

So much in life is beyond our control, yet we constantly focus on outcomes. For instance, each of us know parents who did their best to raise God-honoring children, yet their children are now far from a relationship with Christ. We each know a couple that appeared to be in a happily-ever-after marriage, but then either the husband or wife "met someone" or "fell out of love" and a divorce followed shortly thereafter. Job layoffs occur. Concerning test results come back from the doctor. You get rear-ended in traffic. People doing the best they can but yet the outcome isn't what they hoped for or expected.

This principle is seen throughout Scripture:

• Noah built a boat for decades. He offered to rescue anyone who would listen. But yet only Noah and his family survived the flood. Noah wasn't responsible for the outcome, but he was responsible for the effort.
• Jeremiah preached of the need for repentance for years and years. Yet we would not think of his ministry as a success due to a lack of converts. But Jeremiah wasn't responsible for the outcome, he was responsible for the effort.
• John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord. He baptized Jesus at the beginning of Christ's public ministry. Ultimately, John was beheaded in prison for the cause of Christ. Not the outcome he'd expected. John wasn't responsible for the outcome, but he was responsible for the effort.

Why should it be any different for us? Many times we find ourselves in situations not of our own making, in the middle of circumstances beyond our control.

In these times we'd do well to remember- we're not responsible for the outcome; we are responsible for the effort.