Today, I met with one of the pastors at my church. The reason for the meeting was so that my area pastor could get to know me a little better, get an idea of where I am spiritually, and then give the go ahead - or not - for me to become a small group leader.
We discussed the obvious; my spiritual gifts and why I felt that leading a small group was something God was leading me to do. We also discussed my church background, the good, the bad, and the ugly, why I dropped out of ministry for almost 4 years, and even the spiritual health of my family members. My application was 6 pages long and we went over that too.
What it boiled down to, was God had asked me to do this, and even though I knew He had gifted me in such a way that I felt prepared (enough), I know that only with God...only because of God...and only to glorify God is how and why.
So, as I was leaving the meeting, there was some "parenting of teen" drama going on at home.
And my job, well, my job feels like just a job. And I started to think, how is it that I can do "ministry" for the glory of Him, but I struggle to parent for His glory and even more difficult, I find it extremely hard to work in my job to His glory? Ministry - the purpose is easy to identify. I know that His call on my life in this area is to honor Him. When it comes to parenting, sometimes I fool myself into thinking that I can do it - alone. That I am the one who will get the honor if things turn out right with my kids. And at work, well, I work for the doctors. My work is for the benefit of the practice and to keep the patients well.
But, that is not true. Did God just not remind me over and over a few weeks ago that the cause of all I do is Him? Everything I do, and I mean EVERYTHING I do, should be done for His glory. Not just where He asks me to serve in ministry. But in all things.
I think it is just as hard (sometime harder?) to honor Him in the small, mundane, and humble things in life as it is to honor Him in the big "callings."
Please, God, I pray that when I teach my child, I speak to my husband, or even if I am speaking to a patient that doesn't understand his bill, that I will bring you glory. Just you.
Whatever I do, do it for the glory of God!
We discussed the obvious; my spiritual gifts and why I felt that leading a small group was something God was leading me to do. We also discussed my church background, the good, the bad, and the ugly, why I dropped out of ministry for almost 4 years, and even the spiritual health of my family members. My application was 6 pages long and we went over that too.
What it boiled down to, was God had asked me to do this, and even though I knew He had gifted me in such a way that I felt prepared (enough), I know that only with God...only because of God...and only to glorify God is how and why.
So, as I was leaving the meeting, there was some "parenting of teen" drama going on at home.
And my job, well, my job feels like just a job. And I started to think, how is it that I can do "ministry" for the glory of Him, but I struggle to parent for His glory and even more difficult, I find it extremely hard to work in my job to His glory? Ministry - the purpose is easy to identify. I know that His call on my life in this area is to honor Him. When it comes to parenting, sometimes I fool myself into thinking that I can do it - alone. That I am the one who will get the honor if things turn out right with my kids. And at work, well, I work for the doctors. My work is for the benefit of the practice and to keep the patients well.
But, that is not true. Did God just not remind me over and over a few weeks ago that the cause of all I do is Him? Everything I do, and I mean EVERYTHING I do, should be done for His glory. Not just where He asks me to serve in ministry. But in all things.
I think it is just as hard (sometime harder?) to honor Him in the small, mundane, and humble things in life as it is to honor Him in the big "callings."
Please, God, I pray that when I teach my child, I speak to my husband, or even if I am speaking to a patient that doesn't understand his bill, that I will bring you glory. Just you.
Whatever I do, do it for the glory of God!
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