Finding Purpose

 

3/8/2023

1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities. But it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

When I was a younger woman and a young Christian, I was always seeking purpose. I filled many different roles in church ministry. These were all programs largely for the members and their families, and our church had many of them. Sure, visitors were also welcome, but we did not often get people from outside to come more than a handful of times. The only caveat was the kids’ program on Wednesday night that was sort of like Boy or Girl Scouts. We also experienced the 10% adage, where most of the roles were filled by a small percentage of people. Thankfully, this is not the case in our current church body. My husband and I were always busy, and then we were burnt out. Totally. At our next church we did not enter into ministry at all, because we had nothing left to give.

The issue was that we were not seeking God’s purpose for our lives. We weren’t concerned, and neither was the leadership, if we were the right people to fill a need or had a gift in that area; we just did what needed doing. We finally learned a valuable lesion when we were attending a large Assembly of God church in New Hampshire. They had a meeting for new attendees after church one Sunday. Along with the more informational portion, they also spoke about ministry needs. Hearing this, my husband and I started sinking in our chairs as we were not yet to the point of jumping back in. Then, the youth pastor said something unheard of in our experience. He said that if you do not feel called to a ministry, they would rather not have you volunteer for it. They were not looking for warm bodies, they were looking for people who felt called and passionate about what role they would have in the church. They would rather suspend or cancel a program than have it done outside of God’s leading. As we slowly started coming out of our shock, we asked each other if we actually heard him correctly. Turns out we did.

This church is where we found peace and purpose once again. That one comment let us be more prayerful and mindful about where God was calling us to minister. When we did, the difference was palpable. We were refreshed and filled once again. It was a lesson we carried to other churches we attended wherever we lived.

I believe this is an important lesson to impart to young Christians. A willing heart is a wonderful thing, but a true calling to a ministry is much more impactful. If someone has a heart and gift for leading worship, then that will be a blessing to those who worship along with them. If someone is gifted with young children, then they will bless those little souls and impart lessons to them with joy, patience, kindness, and love. If a person has the gift of hospitality, then they will bring joy to those that they bring meals or open their home to. If someone can easily walk into difficult situations with a listening ear and prayer, then they will be able to bring comfort. The people who can lead may teach Sunday School, become those who guide and supervise the church, or enter the Clergy. If someone has a true burden for the unseen and hurting, they can serve as a missionary oversees, or right in their own neighborhood. We all have different gifts, and if we are obedient to God’s call, the ministry we enter will fill our souls and bring blessing and joy both to our lives and to others.

The only ministry that each of us is called to is the Great Commission, and if we are open and willing, God will use the gifts he has given us to share the Good News of the Gospel with others.