Reflections of the past few days…

The increase and decrease of the week can take you from awesome heights in ministry to tears at the speed of an email, a passing conversation or a phone call. Or even at 11:30pm at night when you’re trying to sleep. I’ve been reminded recently just how much I don’t know, how little I really control and how much I must rely on God.

Here’s what I know about me that’s true.  I need to continue to seek God for wisdom, discernment, timing and intervention. Not other people! I need to continue to prepare myself, humble myself and focus on the fact that whatever good I’m privileged to accomplish is only made possible because I’m seeking that wisdom, listening for that discernment, willing to wait on His timing and looking for those God moments so that I can make myself available in a way that honors people and guides them to, or closer to, Christ.

I need to work hard at putting aside biases, stereotypes, and preconceived ideas that isolate me from the very ones He has called me to serve.

I need to be faster at realizing, quicker at thanking God for, and then somehow learn how to share His work as if I’m having an out-of-body experience, watching God and God alone accomplishing that which my heart knows to be Him and Him alone.

I want to realize hourly that I’m surrounded by many of the best leaders, creative and mission-minded staffers who share this journey. I want to learn from them and without a flash of envy, humbly share with others what I’ve gleaned as nuggets I happened, by the grace of God, to stumble upon.

I want to see with fresh eyes that every volunteer who has partnered with this church has a unique story, a God given gift that he or she is looking to share. I continually want to be about helping others who have yet to dive in to understand the same.

I need to have eyes and ears that recognize people who are hurting, or those I hurt, and have feet that move me toward the ones I often try to avoid.

And finally, if that day comes that I’ve done my best at all these steps, I need to realize that my best may often not be received by everyone. That’s when, after careful examination, I’ll need to be faster at letting things go.