Not Every Door Is An Exit — May 3, 2021
What do I do Now
As a pastor I have been given many ways to serve God. The Scriptures are clear that the primary way of serving God is by serving His people. Pastors visit the sick, counsel the hurting, preach the Word of God to all people, strengthen the fellowship of believers and ultimately bring Jesus into the lives of those around them.
However when pancreatic cancer and it’s subsequent treatment became part of my life, opportunities to serve God became severely limited. My world constricted into my house and sometimes into only my bedroom. I began to question my purpose and goals for each day.
God in His gentleness patiently reminded me that He will decide how I serve Him. His people are watching me closely. They are desperately and excitedly waiting for God’s work on my body to be revealed. A primary ministry I now have is to be responsible with my body in terms of diet, rest and exercise. I realize by doing so I am not just focusing on myself but I am cultivating the healing power which God has planted deep inside my body not only for my sake but for the sake of those who have turned me over to God and now are waiting to see God’s love and power revealed.
Also my words now carry extra weight. A brief text that I send can be a powerful outreach where before the cancer it would have been just another pastoral text. A prayer that I now text is received with great thanksgiving because the recipient feels ‘wow inspite of all he’s going through he still thinks about me!’. The Sundays I’m able to attend church service become moments of great celebration.
So pancreatic cancer has not taken away my ministry but is just an opportunity for new emphasis and direction. The power and purpose are the same.
Everyone’s circumstances change, some much more dramatically and suddenly than others but that does not change the fact that regardless of our situation in life God still desires to work His perfect will through His people.
If our health falters, our finances sink or we are surrounded by new people in a strange setting we are still in God’s will ordained to accomplish His wonderful purpose for our lives.
Ultimately each one of us is called, regardless of circumstances, to be kind to those around us, to have our conversation governed by praise to Jesus, to pray for others and to radiate for all to see the peace of the Lord which passes all understanding.
It seems small and ordinary but God uses the small and ordinary to do great things. Kindness, peace and prayer all done in the Name of Jesus can change lives, entire workplaces, families and neighborhoods.
Jesus use me to bring glory to Your Name. Send Your Holy Spirit to make me a vessel of your love and power. Amen.
To be continued …
