Success and failure in good deeds

Some time ago, the basement smelled musty the next morning after cleaning the carpets. So I opened windows to air it out and by the following evening the smell was almost gone and everything turned out alright.

This reminded me that sometimes when you try to do something good, it seems to backfire, although this time it did work out, eventually. I won’t stop trying to do good although I’ve gotten burned before and I know it’ll happen again. I’ve failed many times as a do-gooder, but God hasn’t given up on me and never will even though I’ve thought about giving up on myself when disappointments come (Genesis 4:7; 2 Peter 3:9).

I like Paul’s attitude about failures and successes (1 Timothy 1:12-15; Acts 26:9-11; Philippians 3:10-16). We’ve all failed miserably in many areas; but, we should view those instances as reminders of God’s great love in forgiving us (2 Peter 1:3-11). We’ve also had successes on which we tend to rest as laurels (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Despite past successes or failures, we’re to continue in faithful service in some capacity for the rest of our lives because that’s when the real prize of the crown of life is given (Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:6-8).

What we do on earth will determine our eternal destiny (Galatians 6:7-10). Sometimes, the good deeds we do as Christians bring greater blessings than we could imagine (Ephesians 6:5-8; Hebrews 13:2, 3; Colossians 3:23, 24). Don’t you feel good after even the most difficult or unpleasant task or when you met someone’s needs when you remember that it was the right thing to do (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)? If the deed truly was done according to God’s will out of love for him, which is the right reason for doing anything, that gladness is a blessing from God and encouragement to press on toward our heavenward goal (1 Corinthians 13:1-3; read also about love throughout the book of 1 John).

Other times, we might not seem so blessed at the moment, especially when we try to live as Christians (1 Peter 4:12-19; 2 Timothy 3:12). We must remember is that God works on his own time, which is always the best time for anything (Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4; Ephesians 1:10; 2 Peter 3:8-9). Even if we don’t experience the blessings immediately after we do the good deeds, God won’t forget the good we’ve done and he’ll reward us as if we’d done those right things for him personally (Hebrews 6:9-12; Matthew 25:31-40).

There is a right thing we must do to be saved as a matter of obeying Christ to receive forgiveness – the purification from our sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 6:7; 22:16; 16:30-34; 19:1-5; 1 Peter 1:22; 3:20-21; Romans 3:21-26; Galatians 3:26-28; Matthew 3:13-17).

Have you done all the right things to become a child of God by being baptized to have your sins forgiven (Acts 2:38-39; Matthew 7:21-27)? God won’t give up on you as long as you try to do the right things.

Leonard Lauriault writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected]