About Ministry and Serving God

These thoughts got me thinking tonight:

Fellowship VS Reaching out (Hospitality, Evangelism)
Personal growth VS Others-focused (Love for self, others)
To receive (aka, to be renewed, refreshed) VS To Give/Serve (Impart, Help..)

And it's not that one of the other is not good. The thing is both are of equal importance and we need to keep that balance in our lives or ministry.

There's so many things that form the foundation of a ministry that we are all constantly needing to work on. It's like a table with 4 legs.. not just one. Things like: Prayer... Mission/Goals... Fellowship... Unity in Vision & Service (all members contributing equally)... It's like the Apostles in Acts.. when they ate and drank together, and shared everything they had. Note "everything".

All these years, ministry has been a tough question. Why do we serve? Is it because we are called? Feel accepted? Feel belonged here? Feel that this is what we want to do for God?

People may not understand, our family & friends may wonder why we spend so much time in church. But that's precisely why - the only sustaining thing that keeps us Going is JESUS. JESUS Called, and we answered. No other reason...

Of course, initially, we may be thinking this is a good place for "ME" to grow and develop friendships.. learn about God.. etc. etc... but it is always great if we grow beyond the ME stage and realise that we come to ministry for HIM... to PRAISE HIM, LOVE HIM, Glorify HIM, and also RECEIVE RENEWAL and empowering from HIM.. WHY? SO that we can go OUT and serve OTHERS.

And so ministry needs to be a place where people can find God... most importantly... Amidst a culture of Joy, Forgiveness, Acceptance, Love, Desire for Growth, Transformation, Seeking God, New life, Changes...

Ministry is always active, alive, growing, needing everyone's support, participation, ownership, belonging... it is never stagnant... and the HOLY SPIRIT which is like a breath of wind.. (never static) is the guiding force in ministry. Not our brains!!!

And for each of us personally to grow in ministry, we need to accept that Change is necessary: New priorities, Dropping of old life (including old patterns, mindset, habits... thoughts..). If you've come to this stage of realisation, i'll give you a big pat on your back.. .because the real journey begins from here!

The real deepening journey (refining by fire) with God begins when we realise our need for God, how sinful we really are, understand the depth of God's love for us personally, and realise His awesome grace and what it really means.

Sometimes, we want to change but we get into a tug-of-war with God - our Godly instincts tells us to give up EVERYTHING for the LORD. And when the Lord calls, we then tell him, wait Lord.. i still need to bury my dead father... It's like this.. when God calls, he promises us NEW LIFE... so our past lives are like our dead... let the dead be the dead.. why try to go back into it? Why daren't we walk 100% with the Lord? And if we already think we are walking 100% with the Lord.. are we really sure of that? How long have we been serving the Lord? less than 10 years. Definitely not 100% yet. I myself am only beginning to discover that I have so many areas of my life that are still not 100% committed to God.

OF course, if you say that 100% commitment means a religious vocation? NO... it really means.. 100% of yielding to the life of the spirit - wherever we are. And this is a call for ALL christians - to be obedient to the Will of the Father, and to be an active and vibrant christian to do His works that has been laid out for us to do. What about the Great commission?

Saddens my heart to think that sometimes people think that total commitment to the LOrd means something NOT for an average catholic but something for religious life,.. or the few holy pious catholic devouts. So with this thinking, if they are not up for religious life, they can just lead life and be 'not so holy'.... but God being a perfect God has created us in HIS Image of perfection. That's why the call for Holiness is so great.

So there is much to do for us.. in ministry.. a constant conversion.. a constant review of our priorities... a constant dedication of our love to the Lord (each week during mass, and our meetings!) and constant communication with our Father each day and every minute of our lives!

If you get what i"m talking about .. it's good.. If not it's alright too.


And Lastly... What IS Love?

Love in ministry is simply loving each other. But just like how we are called not just to love those who love us, we need to think about those who 'do not' love us... WHO are these people? People who do not love ministry-work. Perhaps,.. your sister/brother... your parents.. your friends.. they do not 'love' you like each of us love each other in ministry - because they find your work in church unnecessary - or they don't participate together, not involved.

Therefore, there is a gap there. I find that no matter how much I try to go deep with my friends, those who are not in ministry or in the same faith.. it's so difficult. Yet.. I must still try to love them - and love them more! That means a whole lot of different things. My attitude towards them must change. My words to them must change. I must change in order to Love them truly as God Loved me.

If I did not change my attitude towards them... How can they witness God's love through me?

So to end this post.. I encourage you to continue to seek God. Give Him your Total Trust. Total revolution of negative self thoughts. That's not easy> That's why conversion is lifelong.

So Press on!

Let us run towards the finishing line - for the crown of eternal life that is awaiting all of those who believe in Jesus!