This is a bonus post in the Twisted Scriptures series, where we look at familiar Bible verses and Christian phrases in their proper context. The original sixteen-part series began May 3, 2026.
I have caught myself saying, “It wasn’t me. It was all God.”
Usually, I meant it sincerely. I wanted to give God the glory and make sure no one thought I was taking credit for something He helped me do. I have heard other people say the same thing after singing well, preaching a message, writing something meaningful, finishing a difficult project, or using a gift God placed in their lives.
I understand what we mean when we say it.
We know the gift came from God. We know the opportunity came from God. We know we could not do anything of lasting value without His grace. We do not want appreciation to become pride, so we quickly push the compliment away and say, “It was not me.”
But is that the best way to describe what happened?
First Corinthians 15:10 gives us a better balance. Paul wrote, “By the grace of God I am what I am.” He gave God full credit for the calling, transformation, and grace upon his life. However, in the same verse, he also said, “I labored more abundantly than they all.”
Paul did not deny his effort.
He did not say he had done nothing. He worked, traveled, preached, suffered, studied, prayed, and remained faithful through tremendous hardship. Then he added, “Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
The Greek word translated “grace” is charis, pronounced KHAH-rees, and written χάρις. It can mean grace, favor, gift, or gracious enablement. In Paul’s life, grace did not replace effort. Grace empowered it.
That distinction matters.
God called Paul, but Paul still had to answer. God gave him grace, but Paul still had to labor. God opened doors, but Paul still had to walk through them. His work did not compete with the glory of God. His faithful work demonstrated what the grace of God could accomplish through a surrendered person.
The same is true for us.
If you sing well, God gave you the voice, but you may also have spent years learning how to use it. If you speak well, God may have anointed you, but you still studied, prayed, prepared, and learned from your mistakes. If you completed something difficult, God gave strength and opportunity, but you still showed up and did the work.
Acknowledging that is not pride.
Pride says, “I did this by myself, and I am better than everyone else.”
False humility says, “I had nothing to do with this at all.”
Biblical humility says, “God gave me grace, and I faithfully used what He gave me.”
False humility does not necessarily mean someone is lying or being insincere. Most of the time, the person truly wants to honor God. The problem is that denying every part of our contribution can give an incomplete picture of how God works.
God often chooses to work through human obedience, discipline, preparation, personality, creativity, and effort.
When someone offers a sincere compliment, we do not have to lower our head, reject it, or act as though nothing meaningful happened. We can simply say, “Thank you. I am grateful God helped me,” or, “Thank you. I worked hard on that, and I am thankful the Lord used it.”
Gratitude is not arrogance.
There is a difference between being boastful and being excited that something went well. It is okay to be thankful that you preached clearly, sang well, finished the project, helped someone, or handled a difficult moment with wisdom. We can celebrate growth without believing we created the gift ourselves.
Jesus told a parable about servants who were entrusted with talents. The faithful servants did not bury what they received in an attempt to appear humble. They used it, developed it, and produced something with it. Their faithfulness was recognized by the master.
God is glorified when His gifts are used well.
Second Corinthians 3:5 says that our sufficiency is from God. That does not mean we are useless or uninvolved. It means the source of our ability and effectiveness is not independent of Him.
Galatians 2:20 says, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Paul was not saying that his personality, choices, and responsibility had disappeared. He was describing a life surrendered to Christ and directed by faith.
Giving God glory does not require us to pretend we had no role in what happened.
A healthy view recognizes both grace and responsibility. God calls, anoints, equips, opens doors, and gives strength. We practice, prepare, obey, persevere, and use what He placed in our hands.
It is not all us.
But it is also not God working instead of us.
It is God working in us and through us as we respond faithfully to His grace.
Bible Promise
Philippians 2:13
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
God is at work within you, giving both the desire and the ability to carry out what He has called you to do.
Reflection Questions
- Have you ever rejected a sincere compliment because you thought accepting it would take glory away from God?
- What gift, ability, or opportunity has God given you that you need to develop and use with greater gratitude and confidence?
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for every gift, ability, opportunity, and measure of grace You have placed in my life. Keep me from pride and from believing I can accomplish anything of lasting value apart from You. At the same time, protect me from false humility that denies the work, growth, and obedience You have produced in me. Help me receive encouragement with gratitude, use my gifts faithfully, and give You glory without pretending that my choices and effort do not matter. Teach me to work hard, remain humble, and celebrate what Your grace accomplishes through a surrendered life.
I give You all honor, all the glory, and all of the praise. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen & Amen.