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.