He must increase, but I must decrease.

— John 3:30

If you become a necessity to a soul, you are out of God’s order. As a
worker, your great responsibility is to be a friend of the
Bridegroom. When once you see a soul in sight of the claims of Jesus
Christ, you know that your influence has been in the right direction,
and instead of putting out a hand to prevent the throes, pray that
they grow ten times stronger until there is no power on earth or in
hell that can hold that soul away from Jesus Christ. Over and over
again, we become amateur providences, we come in and prevent God; and
say – “This and that must not be.” Instead of proving friends of the
Bridegroom, we put our sympathy in the way, and the soul will one day
say – “That one was a thief, he stole my affections from Jesus, and I
lost my vision of Him.”

Beware of rejoicing with a soul in the wrong thing, but see that you
do rejoice in the right thing. “The friend of the
Bridegroom…rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom’s voice:
this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must
decrease.” This is spoken with joy and not with sadness – at last
they are to see the Bride groom! And John says this is his joy. It is
the absolute effacement of the worker, he is never thought of again.

Watch for all you are worth until you hear the Bridegroom’s voice in
the life of another. Never mind what havoc it brings, what upsets,
what crumblings of health, rejoice with divine hilarity when once His
voice is heard. You may often see Jesus Christ wreck a life before He
saves it. (Cf. Matt. 10:34.)

On this day...

• Mathew 6 - 2013
• The glory of the Gospel kindled their passion and drove them on - 2011
• ARE YOU EVER DISTURBED? - 2007