How many times as do we feel like we HAVE to make something happen? As ministers we hear “I have to get people to come.” As entrepreneurs we feel “I have to bring in the business.” But is it really our responsibility?

The main thing I have observed is that the biggest obstacle – and in a lot of ways the only enemy is the person’s mindset.

As followers of Christ, we know Romans 12:2 says that we must “be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” We are responsible for programming our mind to know who we are in Christ, to be confident, to be positive, to be successful – no one can do it for us – and we will never truly know God’s will for our lives if we continually live in low self-esteem, low confidence, confusion, etc. If God’s plan for us is super-abundant, far more than we can ever ask or think if we are walking in the fullness of our sonships, how can we even scratch the surface if we are groveling like step-children?

So first – we are required to do personal development and train our minds to think the way God thinks of us.

Second – in Genesis, God created man and placed him in an area of dominion – the garden. And gave Adam the job of tending the garden – protecting it, caring for it and multiplying or growing it – planting seeds. So our assignment is planting seeds in whatever territory we are in. As ministers, we are responsible for inviting people and encouraging others to invite people to come. As entrepreneurs, we are responsible to pitch the business. Those are the seeds in your territory.

Now once you plant that seed and water it (do the follow-up), can you make that seed grow? NO! Nothing you can do can MAKE that seed grow. Only God causes that seed to grow.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

God gives the increase.

We just receive the reward for our labors.

If we are taking the responsibility on ourselves to make it increase, we are trying to take God’s job. And the joy with God is He will let us try – but we are never as good as He is. Why try to take His place?

And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29

Our job is to scatter the seeds – share the opportunity.

Then water it – follow up.

God will grow the seed – then we are to be quick to harvest. Don’t wait around or the wheat will rot in the field and the fruit will spoil on the branches.

Some seeds you plant and reap the same year. Some seeds take years to obtain maturity, but then you can harvest over and over.

In his first years of selling insurance, Steve would drive down any road and stop at every house or farm or farmer fixing his fences and ask about insurance. Then he would go to every business in a town or community or area. He would get more no’s than yes’s, but he would still go out everyday. Now, 40 plus years later, he will get calls asking him to sell insurance from the same people or referrals of those he canvased in the early days. Never despise the day of small beginnings.

Cast your bread upon the waters,

For you will find it after many days.

² Give a serving to seven, and also to eight,

For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.

³ If the clouds are full of rain,

They empty themselves upon the earth;

And if a tree falls to the south or the north,

In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie.

⁴ He who observes the wind will not sow,

And he who regards the clouds will not reap.

⁵ As you do not know what is the way of the wind,

Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child,

So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.

⁶ In the morning sow your seed,

And in the evening do not withhold your hand;

For you do not know which will prosper,

Either this or that,

Or whether both alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

So remember – our job is

(1)  renew our mindset

(2)  scatter seed – it is not our job to make it grow – that’s God’s job.

(3)  Water it – do whatever follow-up is necessary.

(4)  Harvest – never forget that bringing in the harvest is as important as scattering the seed.

It is God’s job to grow the seed and cause it to produce. Be released from the burden of responsibility that is not yours to carry. You can never cause that seed to grow – you can only plant the seed and allow God to bring the increase.