Emotions and service

One of our staff mentioned the other day that his biggest surprise was the emotional toll that ministry has on him. He had just finished time with a family, and caught himself crying as he drove off--something he'd never done before.

I am just amazed at what some of our folks have to face, sometimes on a daily basis. And it's frustrating to be unable to fix things for them. I know that the gospel brings relief ultimately, but even Jesus wept in his ministry. He could "fix" things, yet human pain is real and He had compassion on those who hurt.

It makes sense that loving others and serving them can be physically exhausting. But I have found that, if not careful, the pain of others can sap my energy and leave me perpetually sad. So how do we take the risk of caring and hurting, and still have resources to serve another day?

I have discovered that prayer and time focussed on my walk with God becomes more important than ever when I'm serving those who hurt. I don't have much to give them, but I gain refreshment from time alone with God.

Part of the joy of the community of believers is that we can build relationships for the difficult, as well as the good, times. As we weep with those who weep, we share in Jesus' work. While it is hard, it is also rewarding. And it causes us to grow as we look to God for strength.

Building dedication

Today was a great day. As we dedicated our new worship center, our congregation combined our services to thank God for His provision, to celebrate our past, and to be challenged for the future. It was such a privilege to have all the surviving pastors join us and to take part in the service. The unity of the generations at Grace reflects its maturity.

When we thanked those who helped make the building possible, I know we left some key people out. Try as we may, it's impossible to recognize everyone. I left the service with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for our people.

But thanksgiving and gratitude cannot breed complacency. Until the Lord's return, we have been entrusted with a story so important that it must be told. And the consequences of that story must be demonstrated in our lives. Too many folks are listening and watching.

So the celebration was great. But now we have work to do.