The slow, insidious nature of culture often influences the Church of Jesus Christ with more power and destruction than any disease or epidemic. The desire of Jesus would be for the Church to influence culture (but we'll save that for another post). I for one am on a quest to reexamine the motives of why I do what I do. Do I have a legimate, holy desire to strive for excellence and build the Kingdom, OR am I just so datgum hard to please that I need more stuff to feel happy? Thin line? Oh you better believe it. No ministry knows this better than my Technical Arts Ministry Team. We talk about this kind of thing all the time. We could spend ever ministry waking moment discussing all of the new toys that we could buy. And with increased technology as it is, we could replace equipment with new stuff just about every 6 months. But the wise balance that Dave Frederickson and David McNeely bring to this ministry team is that they recognize the difference between needs and wants. So they are striving for a ministry which seeks contentment. And I praise God for this.So Dr. Fred and I talked very briefly about the need to review from time to time. Sometimes I feel discontent in ministry because I forget what God has already accomplished through me. The next time you are experiencing discontentment in your ministry, sit down with a ministry accountability partner and do some review. Perhaps you will find that God is not through with you yet, and things are not nearly as grim as you thought. The next time you are feeling discontentment in your life, sit down with another Christian and have a time of accountability and review. And perhaps afterwards, drop a comment here and let us know how things went.
1 comment:
Isn't it interesting that another "greatest song" by the Stones (#32 on THE LIST) is also in the form of a complaint. Perhaps there is a consistency (or lack of creativity) to the methods the enemy uses.
Still, I think (as Philippians 4: states) we ought to dwell on that which is true, honorable, pure, right, lovely, of good repute . . . that which is excellent and worthy of praise.
Those who complain obviously aren't dwelling there, but those who worry about what might happen may simply be concerned about uncertainty.
As humans, we are usually more frightened by uncertainty than by danger. A known danger we can easily prepare for, but an uncertainty is . . . uncertain. So we who rely on our own plans are frustrated.
Far better for us to praise Him for what He is doing, to join Him in that which is praiseworthy and excellent, and to look for the awesome "surprizes" that are coming. He is preparing some for us and for those who we may minister to. I for one love surprizes; especially from the Lord. For even when difficult times envelope us, we grow deeper into His embrace, and there find opportunity to share His comfort.
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