Have you ever felt undeserving for an award you received? Was the award a special plaque or a trophy? Perhaps it was a certificate or some other token of recognition. The purpose of the award was to recognize and to praise you because of a noteworthy accomplishment and contribution, but you felt unworthy to be praised.
The feeling of unworthiness increases with the size of the accolade. Sometimes presentations may get bigger than mere plaques or certificates. Sometimes there are busts and memorials and even rooms, windows and buildings that bear our names.
One reason a true servant of God feels unworthy is because the true servant recognizes that the real praise for any accomplishment belongs to God.
Tributes usually follow significant accomplishments. We feel unworthy because we know that God was the underlying source of our success; He deserves the praise.
God should be praise, not us; that's the way humble saints feel. We know how to recognize people for their accomplishments, but how do we recognize God when he has helped us? That was the question that puzzled David in Psalm 116:12 when he asked What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? David concluded that he would drink from the cup of salvation, pay his vows and continue to call upon his name. He decided that was the best way to give tribute to God.
As Christians, we recognize that every accomplishment we make is a reflection of God's handiwork. We cannot take credit for the work the church has done; God gets all of the glory. The trail of life that marks our journey is speckled with markers, large and small, that testify of the help we have received from God. Without Him, we can do nothing. If we have accomplished anything, the glory is His for He is God who is great and is greatly to be praised.