Misery of Ministry; Ministry of Misery
I subscribe to "E-votional" by Mark Batterson who has a multi-site church in D.C. Though we are from different "groups," it is one of my favorites and one of the few I read regularly (and can't wait to get). I think because it is real as well as practical and helpful. You can visit his evotional subscription page at Theaterchurch.com and his blog at: evotional.com . Not sure why the Evotional is at theaterchurch.com and the blog is at evotional.com but.…it's his stuff. Anyway, I recommend you subscribe to it.
In this week's evotional, he shared a couple of quotes I found interesting and blessed me. One was from Robert Bly, “Where a man’s wound is, that is where his genius will be. The other from T.D. Jakes is “Your misery is your ministry.” I may add that Your ministry is HIS ministry, therefore, your misery is His ministry. That is, we go through so many struggles in our lives. Some more than others perhaps, but we all have our own. The key is letting God use them for His good. Those who are ministers know that sometimes even our ministry can be our misery (or at least we think it is). I find myself feeling that way often. I don't want to imply that things are all bad, or that I think my ministry is a misery...but it does HAVE its miseries. Let's just say I don't always share the philosophies, thinking, and expectations that some in the church do. I'm not sure many understand GOD'S work as GOD'S minister (for all of us). I believe what we do should be done for God first, and be what works for Him. Not everyone thinks so. We can and should use our differences for good and to learn from one another, but frankly, that doesn't always happen. Yet, I strive to remain positive and thankful the Lord has put me in the ministry. I am thankful and I don't want to get out of it (though I do think of a change from time to time...but that's anotehr story). In my written "Philosophy of Ministry" I wrote, "Even if there is something I don't love about my work as a minister, I do love the work of a minister."
Point is that ministry itself has its challenges, but it also has its blessings. Like anything else, we can see it as a struggle or see it as a journey. As I recently explained to someone, I try to see it and all its challenges as a journey. God is constantly teaching us and training us if we are willing to listen and learn. If we remember that our misery is indeed our ministry, but that overall WE are His ministry (or as Paul puts it, "His workmanship" Ephesians 2:10). To remember that gives us the strength (at least it does me) to know that things may not always be what I want, and things may not happen in my time. But, they will happen in His and He is always working on me and has something in store for me. If that something better is here on Earth…hallelujah! If where I am (or something worse) is what He wants…hallelujah! Because no matter what….He has something else in store for me AT LEAST in the end. For now, our miseries are our / His ministry. One day, our misery and ministry will be our VICTORY!!!
1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." [NIV]
In this week's evotional, he shared a couple of quotes I found interesting and blessed me. One was from Robert Bly, “Where a man’s wound is, that is where his genius will be. The other from T.D. Jakes is “Your misery is your ministry.” I may add that Your ministry is HIS ministry, therefore, your misery is His ministry. That is, we go through so many struggles in our lives. Some more than others perhaps, but we all have our own. The key is letting God use them for His good. Those who are ministers know that sometimes even our ministry can be our misery (or at least we think it is). I find myself feeling that way often. I don't want to imply that things are all bad, or that I think my ministry is a misery...but it does HAVE its miseries. Let's just say I don't always share the philosophies, thinking, and expectations that some in the church do. I'm not sure many understand GOD'S work as GOD'S minister (for all of us). I believe what we do should be done for God first, and be what works for Him. Not everyone thinks so. We can and should use our differences for good and to learn from one another, but frankly, that doesn't always happen. Yet, I strive to remain positive and thankful the Lord has put me in the ministry. I am thankful and I don't want to get out of it (though I do think of a change from time to time...but that's anotehr story). In my written "Philosophy of Ministry" I wrote, "Even if there is something I don't love about my work as a minister, I do love the work of a minister."
Point is that ministry itself has its challenges, but it also has its blessings. Like anything else, we can see it as a struggle or see it as a journey. As I recently explained to someone, I try to see it and all its challenges as a journey. God is constantly teaching us and training us if we are willing to listen and learn. If we remember that our misery is indeed our ministry, but that overall WE are His ministry (or as Paul puts it, "His workmanship" Ephesians 2:10). To remember that gives us the strength (at least it does me) to know that things may not always be what I want, and things may not happen in my time. But, they will happen in His and He is always working on me and has something in store for me. If that something better is here on Earth…hallelujah! If where I am (or something worse) is what He wants…hallelujah! Because no matter what….He has something else in store for me AT LEAST in the end. For now, our miseries are our / His ministry. One day, our misery and ministry will be our VICTORY!!!
1 Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." [NIV]
posted by James C. Guy @ 9:08 AM
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