In this post I'm going to come against a thought that I've struggled with a lot. If you've ever felt like your giftings and desires don't really count as "ministry", then I hope this helps you. Sometimes, I've felt like I'm not ministering to God's children simply because none of the traditional ideas of "ministry" resonate with my heart. I believe there is this thought in the christian community that suggests that only certain activities count as ministry. If you're passions align with those activities, congratulations! Everyone considers you to be doing God's work! If you sing for church, preach, teach Sunday school, feed the hungry, minister to drug addicts, run a VBS, or go overseas on a missions trip, you're doing what everyone thinks of as "ministry." And if you're passions don't fit into any of those categories, then you better pick one anyway, because that's what ministry is! Right?.........Well I believe that idea is downright wrong. When I was quite young, a lady in a church building saw me drawing one time. She decided to seize the opportunity to tell me that I could "use my drawing for the Lord." I confess, I believe I became rather angry with her and said something impertinent. Looking back to that day now, I believe I know why I became angry with her. When people say "you can use that gifting for the Lord," they often mean that you should use that gifting in the way they want you to. They want you to use it for THEIR church or for THEIR ministry program. And if you decide to use it for God in another way, other than the way they think you should, you aren't really using it for God.....Ahem....That's called manipulation and control. (I should point out that controlling people isn't always the motive.)
I'd like to submit to you the idea that, in reality, true "ministry" is helping anyone, any way, in any shape, and in any form that YOUR heart yearns for. If you like knitting, knit for people. If you like basket-weaving, weave. If you like theatre or dance, pour your whole heart into people through your work. You don't have to do it for your church building. See, the truth is, absolutely everything can be ministry. Absolutely any desire of your heart can be used to bless Papa's children. And one kind of ministry isn't any better than another! Whatever your heart rejoices in, has just as much potential to be ministry as becoming a missionary or funding a freshwater-well-project in Africa. Knitting (or whatever your desire may be) is every bit as "holy" and "honorable" a calling as feeding the hungry. Your "calling" can be absolutely anything on this green earth. Not just witnessing to the lost. I used to feel so badly that I had no desire to lead people in the sinners prayer, but now God is teaching me that He has given me the desire to minister in different areas. My "calling" is not to minister to the masses or bring people that I don't know to Jesus. My passion is to minister to and emotionally move the people that I know well through close relationship. My desire isn't to "save the lost," but rather to "grow the saved" and reveal the heart of God to my intimates through deep connection. If I'm being honest, most of the stuff that I do, (even this blog) I do for only a hand-full of my closest friends. And God is teaching me that that's ok. That's what He made me to do: move my close friends in emotion and spirit. That's my "ministry." I encourage you to find your means of ministry. Don't just go with a typical form of ministry if your heart isn't in it. God gave you passions for a reason. Use your passions to minister to His children in the way you yearn for.
I'd like to submit to you the idea that, in reality, true "ministry" is helping anyone, any way, in any shape, and in any form that YOUR heart yearns for. If you like knitting, knit for people. If you like basket-weaving, weave. If you like theatre or dance, pour your whole heart into people through your work. You don't have to do it for your church building. See, the truth is, absolutely everything can be ministry. Absolutely any desire of your heart can be used to bless Papa's children. And one kind of ministry isn't any better than another! Whatever your heart rejoices in, has just as much potential to be ministry as becoming a missionary or funding a freshwater-well-project in Africa. Knitting (or whatever your desire may be) is every bit as "holy" and "honorable" a calling as feeding the hungry. Your "calling" can be absolutely anything on this green earth. Not just witnessing to the lost. I used to feel so badly that I had no desire to lead people in the sinners prayer, but now God is teaching me that He has given me the desire to minister in different areas. My "calling" is not to minister to the masses or bring people that I don't know to Jesus. My passion is to minister to and emotionally move the people that I know well through close relationship. My desire isn't to "save the lost," but rather to "grow the saved" and reveal the heart of God to my intimates through deep connection. If I'm being honest, most of the stuff that I do, (even this blog) I do for only a hand-full of my closest friends. And God is teaching me that that's ok. That's what He made me to do: move my close friends in emotion and spirit. That's my "ministry." I encourage you to find your means of ministry. Don't just go with a typical form of ministry if your heart isn't in it. God gave you passions for a reason. Use your passions to minister to His children in the way you yearn for.
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