It's Not About You!

Yesterday a friend asked me if I ever got discouraged and distraught because people did not always comment on my blog; especially when I post stuff that is personal or really serious. Funny he should ask me that yesterday-- the very day I got positive and encouraging affirmation from a friend about my blog.

My answer was, "No, not any more." To explain the whole story, when 'I' first started this blog, I did it because 'I' wanted to create a spiritual network online for some of my close girlfriends. And that was to be the extent of my network. But that is not what happened.

My girlfriends did not understand what 'I' had in mind, and they passed the link out through the vast world of email. I remember being very upset when I found out the close circle of girlfriends that I had envisioned, had gone on and shared the blog link with their girlfriends and they with their friends...some of those friends being men!!!! Now I did not know who all was reading my stuff, and I was feeling a little itchy about it.....not that had I put anything so personal out there that I wanted to retract, but I still wanted to control who was reading my thoughts online.

I was lamenting about this to my husband one day, and he looked at me real puzzled, and asked, Why are you trying to limit God? Why are you trying to limit your ministry? Evidently God is expanding your ministry to reach and help many more people than you know yourself." Ha! Then it was my turn to look puzzled. "Limit God? Ministry?"

Then it hit me. "Wow, Tish this is not about you!" I thought it was 'my idea' to start this blog, but I soon realized early on, nope, it was God's plan all along....to spread the gospel online and to encourage others in the faith.

This little blog has turned into a ministry that blesses people not just here in the tiny little state of Maryland, (like my little mind had envisioned) but God has blessed me with regular readers from different countries all around the world!! They must be getting blessed, because they keep coming back to read the blog! I have no idea who these people are, or how they were led by God to the blog, and I don't know why they don't comment but that is really is not of consequence to me. The mere fact that all these people are continuously reading and being blessed by the blog is indeed a blessing to me!

But I must admit in the early stages of this blog, a little more than a year ago, at one period when it seemed that no one was submitting comments, I allowed myself to fall in the ego trap of wondering why no one was commenting...essentially validating what I said and felt...and God had mercy on a sista and 'helped a sista out'. He sent other 'sistas and brothas' to me in person, precisely at the right time to encourage me concerning my blog.

That was the last time I ever needed that type of affirmation...and surprisingly God was right there to meet my need to encourage me to plod along with this blog. But then again, I should not have been surprised....God always knows what we need when we need it, and supplies our need. Since I know all things are from God, I was really blessed that He sent so many people my way to encourage me at that particular time in my life. And I still am blessed by that...the encouragement was so strong, and so profound, that I know it was of God, through God, and by God, just for me! Whew!

When I wrote my friend privately who commented on the blog yesterday, I thanked her adding, "I don't do it [the blog] for positive reinforcement from others, but it is always nice to hear that God IS using me/my blog to help others."

Believe me, it blesses me, it is absolutely wonderful to hear news of how the blog has ministered to someone, helped and encouraged them in their situation, actually clarified something about the Word for them, or even how it painted a more vivid picture of this awesome God we serve!

But as wonderful and humbling as those testimonies are, what really matters first and foremost to me, is that I follow the leading of the Spirit, and do as I am asked by God. If God leads me to continue to blog, I'll blog. If no one ever comments on my blog again, it is okay. God is reaching the people He wants to reach through me around the world and I am very honored to be His vessel.

It seems to me, the looking for and seeking of self validation and positive reinforcement at this point in my walk would take away from the validity of who I am in Christ, and take away from the aspect of this blog being all about Him. My positive affirmations of who I am, come directly to me from the Word of God. I believe that God is in control, that I live and move and have my being in Him, and that I am doing what He asked....and that is ALL that matters. After all, it is all about God. It's God's blog. \o/

"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." Romans 11:36

*Check out a snippet of Smokie Norful's "It's All About You" (referencing God of course!)