Posted Mar 06, 2023 |
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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
Years ago, our family was in the middle of church planting. Many things can go wrong and one day a big one did. The day started off rough when the trailer jack broke. With no way to lift the nine thousand pound trailer onto our truck things looked bleak. But God is good, all the time.
I went about my business getting my kids ready, packing our breakfast and lunch, and loading the truck with our personal equipment. Within about fifteen minutes, the pastor and my husband solved the problem and off we went. We only started setting up for church fifteen minutes late!
Service was wonderful. I met several new teenagers that were looking forward to joining our group. We managed to load everything back into the trailer with only about half of our crew and still made it out on time.
Prior to the start of agreeing to start this church plant, I prayed for the peace of God to fill my heart when my husband and I were going through a tough pregnancy. I am happy to report that His peace has never left me. At no time during that church planting day’s craziness did I feel anything but peace.
He gave it to me and I do not believe He is someone Who goes back on what He says. I have peace because I was patient in the situation. He is the “Peace I’ve Come to Know” as Chris Tomlin sings in I Will Rise.
“Patience is a conquering virtue.” ― Geoffrey Chaucer
Fast forward, eight plus years, and we are now moving along like a normal church. There have been a ton of obstacles that we have had to conquer, attitudes that we needed to address, and differing opinions we had to work through but it continues to be working. We still have a little unpacking and packing up every single week because we don’t own our own building. Compared to what we used to have to do, this is a cake walk. The team that is involved now are more “in” then any other group we have ever had serving.
Change will continue to happen, as God directs, the only way to get through it is with patience. If we wait on the Lord for His timing, His favor is inevitable.
Recently, I have been discussing some major changes with my husband pertaining to who God has called me to be. It is exciting and comforting all at the same time. Those around me are very supportive, spending their free time helping me brainstorm and nail down plans. With every step that is being taken, prayer goes right with it because I only want to do what is within His will (as that is where the favor lies!)
Mountains will be moved or climbed.
Just because God gives His favor does not mean there will not be challenges that come along the way. He doesn’t promise the perfect bump free road, He promises He will be with me when I travel the road and that there will be a path He has laid before me. So far, the path has consisted of a lot of waiting but responses have been positive, giving the me green light for moving forward.
God does not put us in a box. There is no preverbal ceiling for ministry when we follow God’s guidance. Christ is the head of the church and so long as we remember that everyone else is a body part that need to follow, only, Christ’s directives then all will work out well.
I will continue to walk in patience for all of the next steps that are coming in ministry, even if that means doing things differently than the “norm.”
Christ is cultivating patience in me during this journey. How is He cultivating it in you?
