The Increase of Him
This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
John 3:30 - MSG
As we journey with the Lord, there are moments when He allows us the privilege of sharing what He has done in our lives. We get to testify. We get to point upward. And just like the athlete or musician who lifts a finger toward heaven after a victory, we too redirect the praise where it rightfully belongs, to the Lord. God does indeed do great things — but the glory is His, not ours. That’s why we step out of the spotlight. That’s why we allow His light to be the light that shines through us. We must choose to let Him increase in us so He can increase through us.
But sometimes, in the very act of stepping aside, something unexpected happens: we feel sidelined. We feel unnoticed. We feel small. Many today know what it’s like to be quietly pushed aside, to the margins — not because of failure, but because life shifted in ways they never saw coming.
John the Baptist understood this deeply. His entire ministry was built on pointing the way to Jesus. Yet when Jesus arrived and the crowds began to shift, John didn’t cling to influence or resent the change. He embraced it. But for many of us, that shift can feel painful.
Take, for example, the young pastor who once shared how small he felt during a week‑long crusade. A visiting evangelist had come to preach, and night after night the congregation’s attention seemed to drift toward the guest. The pastor’s own voice felt dimmer, his role smaller, his presence almost unnoticed. He wasn’t jealous. He simply felt invisible. Overlooked. Set aside. Sidelined.
What he didn’t realize at first was that he was standing in the very place where John the Baptist once stood — the wonderfully sacred place where God invites a person to release the need to be central and discover the joy of letting Christ be the One who shines.
We all need that freedom — freedom from the exhausting pressure to be important, impressive, or irreplaceable. John’s words remind us that the spotlight belongs to Jesus alone. Only He gets the spotlight legitimately. Only He deserves the increase. And when we step aside, we are not losing significance — we are gaining humility, understanding, discernment, and peace.
For that young pastor, the Lord gently showed him that being “sidelined” was not punishment. It was preparation. It was the Spirit reshaping his heart, teaching him that ministry is never about the size of the platform but the posture of the soul, the heart. And in time, he found peace — even joy — in letting Christ take center stage.
And so it is for us — for you. When you feel unseen… When someone else seems to rise while you quietly fade… When your role shifts and your influence feels smaller…
You are not being pushed aside. You are being invited deeper. You are being shaped into the likeness of the One who humbled Himself for you.
This is the sacred decrease of self that makes room for the increase of Him in each of us - in you.
Prayer
Father, teach me the beauty of stepping aside so that Christ may shine more clearly through my life. Quiet my ego, soften my pride, and free me from the need to be seen or celebrated. Increase Your presence in my thoughts, my words, and my actions today. Let others notice You—not me—as I walk in humility and surrender.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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For Continued Reflection
If today’s devotional has been a blessing to you, you’re welcome to explore other written helps that may further support your quiet moments with God. One of these is “Devotional Booklets for Your Journey With Him,” a collection of downloadable, Scripture based booklets designed to help you stay rooted in God’s Word throughout the week. You can find them here.
