God’s success does not always = the world’s success

I recently started reading First Samuel  again.  Check these verses out:

2 He (Elkanah) had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.  3 Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the LORD Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the LORD. 4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the LORD had closed her womb. 6 And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7 This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat.

Reading this reminded me of how sometimes ministry leaders like to show their success and others weakness.  We’ve all been around those who ask questions like:  “How many were in attendance at youth?”  or “How many decisions for Christ were made at your meeting?” 

Often I find people asking those questions hoping we’ll ask them right back so they can share their success.  It’s also likely that we’ve all been guilty of wanting to brag about our success at one time or another.  Nothing can destroy a healthy ministry quite like an inflated ego can.  Although we may not provoke other as blatenlty as Peninnah provoked Hannah, we still have our own ways.

I was reminded that we are the bride of Christ, and I found it fascinating that the bride that had the least amount of success was receiving double portion from her groom.   No matter what type of ministry we find ourselves in, Valleys will be in our path.  From the scripture above I noticed that THE LORD CLOSED HER WOMB.  There was obviously a purpose in what seemed to be a lack of success in the eyes of Hannah’s world (especially to her rivals, and even herself.)  God’s success does not always = the world’s success…