What if you approached your effort not having anything to prove, but something to give?

Think of the weight you must bear when you have something to prove. Let’s say you think your effort should show that you are very intelligent. When someone doesn’t recognize your intelligence like you think they should you will feel slighted and angry. Or what about when you make a mistake? You will think it is a referendum on your intelligence.

For most people who think they’re intelligent they often assume things should come easy. That’s why they think their intelligent. But what if something doesn’t come easy? They may be devastated, finding themselves in the embarrassing situation where they thought too highly of themselves. Maybe they will just quit all together.

Yet, the problem is not that things are hard, or that people don’t recognize them for who they think they are. The problem is they’re using their effort to prove something about themselves instead of using their effort to give.

And this is a plague in churches. People tie their effort to proving their holiness, doctrinal correctness or leadership ability. When it is not recognized like they think it should be or they don’t receive the results “their holiness” deserves then they are embarrassed, angry, and full of blame — either to themselves, others, or God.

For where else but religion is there something to prove? But as Paul showed us in 1 Corinthians 15:10 that life with Jesus is different. His very beginning as an apostle was because of failure, or the grace of God in his failure. All Paul “proved” was that his righteousness and zeal were a complete zero when it came to Jesus. But he worked hard not because he had something to prove, but because deep down he knew that grace is what made him what he was.

And it is the same for you. Your gifts, talents, and energy are not something you have to prove your worth. You can pursue your best ambitions because you can say with Paul: “By the grace of God I am what I am.”