But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion. (Hebrews 10:36 (Msg).
Getting started is easy; finishing is tough. God calls us to stick at our responsibilities till the job is done. The Bible word is perseverance. Paul finished his race; will you finish yours?
A few years ago, I attended a conference that really excited me with better approaches to pastoring a church. I could hardly wait to get home to implement what I was learning. I felt God was speaking to me and it was only a matter of time until I would see God working in new ways, people would be responding to my new vision and there would be significant growth in the kingdom of God.
I went home with excitement, enthusiasm and his expectations, anxious to share my new vision with others. But three months later I was frustrated and discouraged. My people were confused. I felt like quitting. My energy and passion were gone.
What I experienced has happened to many people who have set out to do something new and different. Eventually, reality sets in. We come up against a barrier. People don’t share our passion and vision. Some people resist out ideas for change. We feellike we’re going backwards instead of forwards.
Perhaps you have experienced something similar. You have felt the excitement and a passion to be part of what God is doing. You could hardly wait to get home, tell others and begin seeing God work. But instead, you have experienced times when doors were shut on you and people have resisted your ideas.
How do we handle moments of discouragement and disappointment? Here are five things to remember when the initial thrill of ministry wears thin and the going gets tough.
1. Remember your call to ministry. In some way, God has called you. It is God who has called you, gifted you and positioned you in your place of ministry. You are not working for men; you are serving our Lord. God wants you and he wants you where he has placed you. God’s call comes in a variety of ways,
Looking at your circumstances can be discouraging. Having people refuse to partner with you can be unsettling. In tough times, keep your eyes on the Master who has called you. The call of God is a stabilizing force in your life.
2. Refuse to compare yourself with others. I find going home for conferences discouraging. During a conference or seminar, people tell their success, and then when I look at my own life, I feel like I am a failure. But I forget that the people I’ve listened to. have problems too, they just didn’t tell me about them. And I tend to forget the good things that are happening in my life. When discouraged, never compare yourself with someone else, it will destroy you.
Someone in another situation may be experiencing a response that you can only dream about. Remember a principle of the harvest: not all crops get ripe at the same time. Each crop has its season for harvesting. The same is true in ministry. Sometimes the harvest in one area is ready before it is ready somewhere else. If someone else is experiencing a it will destroy you harvest, be patient, your time will come.
God has not called you to be someone else or do what another person is doing. The Master has a unique plan for your life. If you will simple be all that God wants you to be, you will be a success in his eyes. Nothing else matters.
3. Realize there will be tough times in ministry. Jesus never told us that ministry would be easy. In fact, he warned us about being misunderstood, rejected, hated and maligned. After more than 45 years in ministry, I’ve learned this about ministry: there are tough times along with the good times. Some people I work with have irksome personalities. Others have a negative spirit. Some are critical by nature. Others have there own agendas. Some will actively oppose me.
The Apostle Paul had people who worked against him and so did Jesus. If that was the experience of Paul and Jesus, we can anticipate the same. As we trust the Lord and persevere, the Lord is faithful and will see us through to greater victories.
4. Refresh yourself with God’s presence. The danger with frustration and discouragement is that we tend to get our eyes on our circumstances rather than on the Master. Remember King David. When he was frustrated at not being able to build the Temple, he went in and sat before the Lord (2 Samuel 7:18). Sitting took some time. He didn’t rush. SItting in God’s presence reassured him of God’s promises and purposes. As a result, King David’s perspective changed.
5. Remember the farmer. When a farmer plants his seed, he knows there will be a period of time between planting the seed and gathering the harvest. He doesn’t expect the harvest the next day after he plants the seed. The seed must be watered. The weeds must be removed. But most of all, the farmer knows he must be patient. This is what James talked about. “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains.
Too often, I’ve expected an immediate response to what I was doing. I’ve lacked patience and this has brought frustration. But looking back over the years, I’ve seen the faithfulness of God in growing the harvest. And he will do the same for you.
Becoming unstoppable is a great quality. As you become unstoppable by refusing to quit, no matter what happens, you will achieve wonderful results.
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