Have you ever tried to help someone and ended up making the situation worse? Have you ever been completely genuine with your actions and had your intentions misconstrued? This year has been filled with many such events for me. In communicating with the people that report to me at work, with my friends, and even sometimes with my husband, sometimes my words and actions have been taken the wrong way leading to angst and conflict. This can be very emotionally draining and discouraging.

After having one such day this week where I thought I was encouraging a friend but sadly what he heard was discouragement, I in defeat turned to my bible and this is the prayer I found:

…we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.

2 Thessalonians 1:11 NIV

What sweet encouragement! What blessedness to read that it is God who brings to fruition our every desire for goodness! This takes the pressure off being good and having good intentions. This tells me I no longer have to worry how my “goodness” or good intentions are perceived. That is God’s job to bring it to fruition. My job is to continue to do good deeds prompted by faith and God’s job is to make sure that the intent is realized fully in those who need it. And you know the beauty of all of this? It is not so that I feel good about myself but so that Jesus is glorified!

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:12 NIV

So today I pray for you that God will make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by your faith.