I Always Thought Ministry was Hard...

...and, in many ways, it is. It's difficult. It's challenging. It's tiresome. Rejection is widespread and common. There's a natural resistance that weighs on us at times.

But, God can surprise us.

Even when we are not thinking specifically about ministry, God can do things with our lives of which we aren't even aware. Somehow, the Spirit of God in us is also at work.

Ministry isn't all about what we do or say to share the Gospel. Certainly that's significant and necessary for disciple-making. There comes a point where we must speak the Gospel using our words. However, I'm saying that ministry isn't all about what WE do or say sometimes. God is bigger, and works through our frailty and our weakness to bring Him glory. And, even when our hearts and minds are aloof and self-centered, somehow God can break through and reach out to others through us even while we are unaware.

I ponder all of this because of what happened at work today. Most of the time I work alone. I only briefly come in contact with people as they are passing through the building or looking for a certain person or room. I am not even in contact with my co-workers for very much time out of the day. And this particular co-worker, I only see for a few minutes in passing each day as I leave to go home and she arrives to work second shift.

This co-worker's name is Maria, and she is from Colombia. She speaks English, but still has a thick, beautiful accent. Today, she stopped me in the hall as I was headed out. She said, "when is your big trip?!" I told her. She said, "I am so happy for you. I have a daughter, you remind me a lot of her. I just really love you. There is something so special about you, something different. I see it - and I think it is the Lord."

I have never spoken of my faith with this woman before, and have only talked to her a few times. She knows that I listen to the Christian radio station while I work, because she makes comments about me knowing every song. She is also a Christian, as I later found out, but we've never spoken about our faith, the Lord, the Bible -- anything.

I feel blessed by her kind words. Not because I deserve them, but because I know that God must be using me in spite of myself. I love it.

Thankfully God is not so small that he needs our words and actions to accomplish His work. He does, however, desire and require that we be involved in His work in one way or another. If it were all up to us -- we'd fail miserably -- because we are human. But thankfully God works in us, with us, and through us -- and the weight is not all on our shoulders.

Thank you God for being a God that doesn't need us, but wants us for your work. Thank you for not giving up on us when we aren't necessarily pursuing Your work with all of our ability. And -- thank You for the work You do in us as we are continually being transformed into Your likeness.

There's Always Tomorrow...

"There's always tomorrow."

A phrase commonly used to express the idea that there's always time to do something, say something, be something -- later.

We did not accomplish what we had hoped for today, but we defer our plans to tomorrow because, of course, there's always tomorrow.

We know we hurt someone today, but we withhold the apology because, "There's always tomorrow."

We know there are aspects of our lives, of our individual and corporate journey through this life that need to change, and yet we remain unchanged because "there's always time tomorrow, next week, next month for that..."

We know God has given us each gifts that are to be used for His glory. Each of us who has been redeemed treads each day on this Earth carrying God's own Spirit, and with that comes the gifts He's given us. We have opportunities to discover and practice those gifts, and yet our insecurity begs us to wait another day to try them.

We feel a tug in our hearts, something that attracts us to make a difference in the world. We see the suffering and the pain in the world, along with a vast darkness that pervades our world - and we know we carry the light that scatters that darkness. And yet, day by day, we find ourselves shying away from the discomfort that being the light brings. We know that God has built us with not only a responsibility, but an inherent desire to be light in the darkness. But we're not sure how to get there, what to do, where to start -- and we defer that again to another day.

But one thing I'm learning is - Tomorrow is only a hope. While the odds are seemingly high for us to experience tomorrow, it is not guaranteed to us. Today is all we have, these hours, these minutes -- this moment is all we have been given.

I didn't just make up the examples above, but they are things I've faced, and some -- still in the progress of growing through. I speak to myself as well as you with the challenge to live this day to the best of your ability, making the most of every opportunity, and using every moment to bring glory to the Father. I've seen too many times where people procrastinate on goals, dream, gifts, opportunities, etc --and then it's too late when tomorrow doesn't come.

Ephesians 5 is a good pericope to reflect on.

It addresses what our lives should look like as believers, and how we are light in the darkness. It also reminds us that we should be careful how we live - as wise and not unwise - making the most of every opportunity.

I'm speaking out of experience with being one who puts off to tomorrow what can (and should) be done today. But tomorrow isn't always guaranteed, and all I have to work with is today. So, it's time to stop wasting my time worrying about what tomorrow will bring (Matthew 6:34). It's time to focus on this day, this hour, this moment of my life.

What do I have to offer God today?
How can I bring glory to God in the tasks I have for today?
Where could I have an opportunity to use my gifts today?
What can I change about myself today that will honor God?
Who do I need to apologize to or forgive today?
Have I prayed and spent time in the Word today?

These are just some questions on my mind about how I can live my day today - making the most of every opportunity. I'm tired of wasting my life in the things that don't matter for eternity. I don't want to waste any more of my time focusing on things that don't matter, worrying about things I can't change, and being someone who remains unchanged. I'm still learning on this journey, and God is in the continual progress of making me into someone who resembles Him. I mess up all the time, but I'm learning day-by-day what it means for me to look like Him.

I've learned to ask myself this question daily: "What is the one thing -- that if I did or said today -- would make me look more like Jesus than yesterday." Ask that question and then spend your day in pursuit of that thing. And when the opportunity arises, seize it!
For -- you only have today.