The Blessing of Being In Ministry
In his prayers, my husband often thanks God for “the blessing of being in ministry.” And it truly is an enormous blessing! Our lives are not spent in unimportant, worldly things. Every day we get to be involved in what matters more than anything else in the world. We are privileged to be beacons…lighthouses…flares going up to rescue lost and exhausted people who are desperately trying to see through the murk of the world’s confusion, helplessness, deception, and utter darkness.
We get to change hopeless into hopeful, showing souls how beautiful and valuable they are to God. We are privileged to be the hands of Jesus when we sit down and link arms with others during their deepest joys and their most aching sorrows. What an honor to bow our heads and speak to the Creator of the Universe…to know that He hears us…to express deep gratitude or to beg for His intercession on behalf of a dear one. We get to bring smiles, feed bodies and souls, teach truth to young and old, and soften hearts with good news. We are blessed to serve people who desperately need love, care, truth, light, and nourishment. How can we see ministry in any other light than a blessing?
Sometimes those of us in ministry are frustrated by unrealistic expectations (but I suspect many of those are self-imagined). When we are serving, we might feel taken advantage of or worn out (though if we are feeding, quenching thirst, clothing, inviting in, or visiting “the least,” Matthew 25:40, we are at the same time caring for the Lord.) Sometimes our feelings are hurt, and we are offended (but if we’ve put on our “heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each other,” Col. 3:12-13, we will quickly set our feelings aside.) Sometimes our calling is to suffer hardship together, as Paul called Timothy to do (2 Tim. 1:8; 2:3), but glory is on the horizon. Take heart, and let’s open our eyes to the blessings God has poured out upon us!
- Carla Moore, Dripping Springs, Texas