If you have been in ministry for more than one month, you
know the challenges that come with the calling.
There’s the never-ending battle to teach students time management skills
or the constant need to explain why you can’t be on a cell phone in the middle
of service. Perhaps it is dealing with a
parent who could never image their child ever doing anything remotely
wrong. Or perhaps explaining why their
child’s face is marked with a permanent red marker after returning home from summer
camp.
The sad reality is that we deal real issues such as
abandonment, sexual promiscuity, identity, relationships, and so much
more. We work to propel students to
their highest level and they are kicking and scream the whole way. The more we challenge, the more they seem to
push back. We are in the business of
helping broken people, and in the process, we grow weary in doing good.
In the moments we grow faint, we must hold on to markers
that keep us moving forward. Here are
some markers to consider:
1. Have Confidence in the Call. The enemy works to question our call. Hold on to this call. Write down and remember the call, and hold
fast to it when challenges come your way.
Let your call propel you forward
as you do what God has called you to do.
2. God Is Always At Work. We read in
Exodus that “Moses went in to the darkness were God was.” When new face challenges, it does not mean
God has left us, or is not fighting for us.
On the contrary, our battles can often come because we are doing exactly
what God has called us to do. Remember- where there is not battle, there are no
enemies.
Facing battles means you are advancing and making an impact.
3. Remember the Victories. We read in Old Testament stories of when the Israelites would set up “stones of remembrance.” It would be these markers that remind them of
what God had done for them, and serves as a reminder that God is faithful. Use
moments in ministry as “markers” of God’s faithfulness, and reminders that God
is at working through you.
Galatians 6:9 states “Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
As we fight for our
students, remember to guard yourself as well:
1. Don’t Fight Alone. The greatest tragedy is when we fight
alone. When you face adversities, have
someone you can turn to that will keep your head up, and moving forward. Surround
yourself with friends who lift you up, listen, and do not drain you.
2. Find an Outlet. Too often, our biggest problem is that we
simply don’t rest from the call. We
don’t find our Sabbath. We don’t do things that are not connected to ministry. It
ends up being the little things that bring us down. Find time to rest, play and enjoy life!
3. Stay Refreshed. The irony for many of us is that we do not do what we challenge
others to do. We don’t spend enough time
in prayer, in scripture, and listening to the Spirit. We dry up spiritually as we pour out in the
lives of others. We must stay refreshed
in prayer and scripture.
Know that our office is here to help you as you answer God’s
call. We are here to stand with you in
difficult times, and celebrate with you in your victories. Know that we are here to help.
Ministry will have its challenges. This is guarantee. If you are doing what God has called you to
do, and you are fighting for the heart and soul of your students, the enemy
will work against you. But we hold on to
this: God is on our side. He gives us the strength and tools to fulfill
the call. His Spirits reminds us of the
impact we have made in those we have ministered to.
Abe Daniel - District Student Ministries Director
Northern California and Nevada Assemblies of God Student Ministries
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