awake my soul: plead

It's not about me. There is nothing I can do. Salvation rests all in the hands of my God.
Sometimes I feel as though it is my job to save people. If they do not come running to Christ, it is because I am not acting like Him enough or speaking of Him enough. Lies.

Who am I to think that the minuscule contributions (if you can even call them that) I make affect anything? I cannot change a person's heart. I can show him a reflection of God's heart, which is very important, but I can not bring about life change. I can go. I must go. I must live as Christ throughout the world, but nothing is the result of anything I have done. I am simply legs and a mouth; Christ is the head, the heart, the message, the change.

I am proud to think that anything I am doing could possibly change a single person, let alone the world. Yet we are so motivated by the idea of changing the world, making a difference. We get our identity and significance by the difference we make in the world, whether it be in a person or a nation.

But I am realizing more and more that I am helpless to evoke change from myself, let alone anyone else. The older I get, the more I realize how completely screwed up and awful I am. It is only by God's grace that I am where I am. If I cannot change anyone or anything, I must get my significance from God and Him alone, and that I am His.

But then, if our purpose in life is to glorify God, to live like Him, and to speak of Him to a dying world, without control of the results, what can we do? Simply that? Then sit back and hope that the world will change and hearts will break open into new fertile soil, fresh for salvation? NO! Goodness, no. We can pray.

Oh, what a gift this is. As we become like God, He gives us His heart, His passions, His yearnings, and we are able to bring all of this and more to Him every moment of every day. We can cry out to Him in anguish over the breaking hearts that refuse to see truth. We can scream to Him in praise on those days where it is wonderful just to stand and breathe. We can plead with Him for the salvation, for the souls, of those we know and love. Oh, friends, we can pray.

While we are helpless, our God is not. He lives within us and allows us to speak with Him. Is this not amazing?! Why is it so hard for me to want this, to desire to tell Him everything as I should?! Oh, God, give me that desire. Make me like you.

And He will. He has saved us. He will save other as well. Ask Him. Plead for Him for souls. This is not overrated. This is life and death. Pray.