“Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” (Ephesians 4:12-13).
Let’s be honest: we may not measure success like the world, but we still tend to measure our success. If we are at a certain age or place in life, we subconsciously compare ourselves with others at the same stage of life. We may compare the size of our church with someone else. We might think others are successful when they speak at large conferences or their names appear in our UPCI literature. Although the Apostle Paul warned us about comparing ourselves among ourselves (II Corinthians 10:12), it’s easy to feel like we are “nobody” and our friends have “arrived.” If your name is not known and your church is small in number, I have good news: Epaphras can be your new benchmark for success.
Who in the world is Epaphras?
He was a mighty man of God, according to Paul (Ephesians 4:12). I had never paid attention to Epaphras (my point exactly!) until I re-read Ephesians 4:12 and noted how highly Paul spoke of him. After research, it seems Paul, who never went to Colosse, was the overseer (Bishop), but Epaphras started the church plants in this area (Colossians 1:6-7). It jumped out at me this time! This guy was amazing but kind of a no-name.
If the Lord is pleased with your work in the kingdom of God, then you are successful!
Because you are laboring faithfully, not trying to be recognized, God takes delight in you (Zephaniah 3:17). You may be in a season of prayer walks in your city, warring in the spiritual realm. You might not get a lot of fruit in that season, but there is so much good happening “behind the scenes,” and the Lord sees it. You have no reason to be ashamed (Psalm 25:3). You are precisely where the Lord wants you.
So next time you feel down because your name isn’t making the headlines, remember Epaphras and be at ease. You are walking in God’s perfect plan (Psalm 25:12-13). It is not about making a name for ourselves but doing God’s perfect will in His Kingdom. All you Epaphrases out there, we are rooting for you!
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs” (Zephaniah 3:17).
“Let none that wait on thee be ashamed. On thee do I wait all the day.” (Psalm 25:3,5).
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