Maybe our own ministry successes are lacking because we too like David have shed blood. I don't mean literally but figuratively in the spiritual sense of the Sermon on the Mount ("You have heard it said, 'Do not kill' but I tell you..."). There's also the sense of shedding blood from James 5.1-6 when he warns masters/employers against withholding what's due to slaves/employees. Here's my paraphrase of the overlooked sins in Galatians 5, that might be considered 'shedding blood':
Those of us who are envious, jealous, lie, cheat, steal, squeeze the last nickel out of every vendor and every last 5 minutes out of every employee, hate, shun, impugn, malign, get irritated, get impatient, get angry, argue, are ambitious, are separatist, are elitist…or worship the gods of food, entertainment, sex or success trying to be the king of the hill or at least feel good about ourselves sacrificing others' well-being in order for these gods to bless us…those will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5.21).The only thing that gets us back into a relationship with the Father is to acknowledge that we need Him (Luke 15--parable of the two sons). We cannot earn it or pay for our sins (Psalm 49). David was reassured of an everlasting covenant between his family and God at the end of his life, even though he had angered God, and been denied the last bit of success (2 Samuel 23).
Likewise, ministry success cannot be measured in numbers or money (the census example), nor should it. The seven churches in Revelation were not criticized because they weren't growing numerically, but because they weren't growing spiritually and in their outpouring of love. Nowhere in the epistles are early churches put down because they weren't big enough. Paul does chasten the Corinthian church in his second letter because they weren't being bold enough as ambassadors, but that was more about attitude, faith and actions than results. We are only measured on the strength of our relationship with the one true God.
S
