Fraud Alert

Have you ever wondered if what you say or do has any impact on someone’s life?
Do you ever get disappointed when things you have worked hard for, fail to produce the fruit you were expecting?
How would you measure that impact and why would you want to?
I've found that on occasions that I have sub-consciously measured my input into people's lives.
For instance, if my input brought about an immediate positive result I would be left with a much more positive attitude than if the ‘fruit’ of my labours took a while to surface. Of, course, I was still be glad to see the change, but it didn't quite seem the same, in my eyes, the delay somehow undermined the integrity and depth of my walk with God.
I began to realise, that at times like these, it highlighted exactly how much a Christian can be influenced by the world’s standards. There appears to lie within us a need that has a hidden agenda all of its own. Something we can't quite label or understand. A subtle emotional drive that can only be satisfied by instant results. It’s a spiritual pride that feeds a need of ours to be affirmed in some way. Our agenda wires somehow get crossed. Our fallen emotional needs sneak under our spiritual radar and disguise themselves as Christlike features. I wonder, if at times like these are we inputting God or are we inputting ourselves?
This leaves our souls open to disappointment, which can be hard to recognise and even harder to deal with.
God, by his Spirit, is the author and initiator of Godly change, therefore, any change should come into line with his purposes and not ours.
So, the question is, ‘can we, and do we, trust God to fulfil his word?’ Can we confidently leave the change to him, no matter how long it takes and no matter what the results are?
If not, then like me, at times, you may not be looking for God’s input, but your own, to be fruitful.