Gaither Music Group is known worldwide for its award-winning recordings, including the Gaither Gospel Series. It is one of the world’s largest independent Christian music companies and a household name for millions of fans. Their Gaither Homecoming videos showcase gospel music pioneers, many of which are the most renowned performers in the gospel genre.

I have enjoyed their “Gaither Homecoming” videos for many years.

Some time ago, my husband and I watched one of their recordings when the show paused for an interview with Vestal Goodman. Goodman died in 2003 after a longstanding career in the Southern gospel genre for over half a century.

During the interview, the late singer was asked what advice she would give aspiring gospel singers. Without hesitation, she quickly replied in her sweet Southern accent:

“I tell the young people who want to sing for Jesus: If you don’t keep God in it, you might as well hang it up and go get you a job in the grocery store. It ain’t gonna work. It just plain ain’t gonna work.”

Her words made me smile. Because truth be told, sometimes we may be so caught up in our “kingdom work” that we forget why we serve in the first place. Likewise, we may get so focused on making our work for the kingdom prosper that we forget that success “God’s way” doesn’t necessarily mean that our books hit the New York Times bestselling list.

It is something to ponder, indeed. How many “kingdom workers” strive so hard to do “great things for God” that they forget that we are not the masters — we are mere instruments when it comes to kingdom work. God is the designer, maestro, and planner and, therefore, responsible for growing our reach as we faithfully do our assigned work.

Indeed, if we know God has called us to serve him, we should trust him to open doors and grow our sphere of influence. He knows the right timing and when we are ready to receive more. When our hearts are in the right place, and at the right time, he opens doors that no one can close and shuts doors that no one can open. That’s His responsibility.

Our responsibility is not to strive to do more or be more. Our commitment should be to obey our calling and keep our priorities in check: God first, then family, and next, ministry.

It is not uncommon that these priorities become jumbled when we try to do God’s work our way.

It’s a chilling thought because what good does one’s ministry do if their family is hurting. Worse yet, what is the use of having the applause of men if Heaven is silent because we didn’t serve for the right reasons?

Oh, may it never be!

I’d rather have my children desire to know God because my work for Him did not rob them of precious time with me, than resent Him because my “kingdom” work kept me away from them.

I’d rather have people want to know God because of my faith rather than because of eloquent words I might speak or write.

Instead, I’d take the brunt of the criticism, as I stand for God’s truth rather than have multitudes follow me, and yet know that God looks away because I chose compromise over obedience and men’s approval over His heart.

I’d rather have Jesus. I’d rather have family.

May we never forget that the growth is not ours to keep, anyway. It’s meant to be for God’s glory. We are mere stewards of His gifts.

As Vestal Goodman beautifully put it: If it’s not from God, and it’s not for Him, may we never want it, anyway.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Click HERE to find it on the AJC’s website.

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