I would like to share a blog from another pastor’s wife that I believe will be a blessing to you. We all have in our minds when we go into ministry of how it is going to be but what do we do when God sends us somewhere we don’t really want to go?
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8
This past week I was listening to a missionary wife describe how God called her into the ministry. She was obedient, surrendered, ready. Then she stepped off the airplane into Sri Lanka…
Not here, Lord!!!
It was filthy, and stinky and full of rotting things. She was willing to serve the Lord and be His follower as long as He asked her to go somewhere nice. Somewhere clean. Somewhere pleasant.
I can empathize with this beautiful woman as she had to surrender her ideas of ministry to God all over again. How many times haven’t I felt surrendered until I saw what lay ahead? What she thought was surrender on her part, really carried conditions and specifications. Don’t we all do that with God? We maybe won’t come right out and say it, but deep down in our hearts we struggle with the ministry or calling we have been given. “Not that church, Lord!
Not that town, Lord! Not these struggles, Lord! I’ll serve You as long as it’s in this way. I’ll follow You as long as I can still have…..”
Oh, dear friend, this attitude is not one of ultimate surrender. One definition of surrender is to give up, abandon, or relinquish. That word abandon…have we done that? Have we abandoned our hopes, ideas, dreams or plans? To totally let go. Leave it all behind. Palms open and empty. No more hopes, ideas, dreams or plans other than those that belong to our Lord.
Maybe your ministry isn’t what you thought it should look like. Maybe the people in the pews aren’t what they should be like. Maybe your health isn’t what it used to be. Your kids aren’t where you want them to be. Abandon.
Let go of your thoughts. What are God’s?
Let go of your plans. What are His?
How can we overcome feelings of frustration in the midst of a life or ministry that is different than we thought it would be?
Thankfulness
That sounds way too easy, right? Too simplistic. But God tells us to give thanks “in everything” because it is His will for us. So be thankful for what you have. Be thankful for each person sitting in the pew (yes, even that one). Be thankful for the days you feel good and are on your feet. Be thankful for the place God has put you. Be thankful you were chosen to serve Him. We have the sweet joy of serving the most high God! We have the pleasure of ministering to His people!
That sweet Missionary Wife had to come to another point of deeper surrender in her heart. She had to abandon the thoughts she had and take on the thoughts that God had for her. Are you there? Am I? Can we really surrender every plan and let Him take over every aspect of control? By God’s grace, we can and we will. – Mary S.
As you ponder Mary’s blog I pray you will come to that point of “Total Surrender” if you aren’t already there.
We are here to come alongside you on your ministry journey; please let us know how we can help.
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