You’ve heard it before, but let me say it again. Ministry is so hard.
It’s easy to point out the uniquenesses of children’s and family ministry. We work with volunteers and children. I could probably end the list there and it would be enough! We plant seeds that we may never see blossom while we are on this earth. We work with limited budgets and few resources. We are constantly competing for the time of families. We are part-time workers putting in full-time work.
These are all true statements, and as a combination make our calling not only difficult but also exhausting. Yet, there is something that goes well beyond the obvious. There are constant struggles and setbacks of all kinds that leave us feeling inadequate, unprepared, unqualified, and ill-equipped. There is only one reason why ministry gets to this level of hard.
It’s because what you’re doing is working.
In Mark 4, Jesus tells and later explains the Parable of the Sower. Allow yourself to enter into this story. You are the farmer. You tirelessly continue sowing the word. There are the seeds that land in children, those that land in volunteers, and those that fall on families, both inside your church and in your community. You’re sowing in many different places, and Satan sees the seeds. With his very best effort, he tries to steal each one away. Whether it’s through trouble or persecution, worry, wealth, or earthly desires, he will try anything and everything to stop those seeds from taking root and growing.
Think about that for a moment. If you weren’t sowing, there would be nothing for Satan to stop. You might just feel comfortable.
The enemy will always fight back at the advancement of the kingdom of God. The more seeds you sow, the more you will see attacked. That’s exactly why James 1:2 tells us:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
The challenge is to retrain our brains that trials do not equal failure. Scripture tells us that the correct equation is:
Trials = Sowing = Joy
Are you feeling the depth of how difficult ministry is in your life today? Where do you see Satan fighting back? Lock yourself tightly into your faith and praise the Lord for the seeds He is sowing through you!
We’d be honored to rejoice with you and pray for your perseverance. If you are comfortable, share in the comment section how we can come alongside you!
