7/26/13:

TFTD: “But I call God to witness against me-it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” 2 Corinthians 1:23-34

As I sit in my office today doing my prep work, and getting the little things done for the week, I realize that I am alone. I look out in the hall way and all the office doors are closed, the lights are off, and I’m all by myself. I think of the song by Bette Midler that says “And I am all alone there is no one here beside me, and my problems have all gone, there is no one to deride me.” It’s kind of nice being alone while doing your work, you can concentrate and get things done more efficiently… sometimes. Other times you have no motivation to do your work because no one else is there doing theirs. Sometimes it seems that ministry is about your prep work for Sunday School, your devotion giving, and your leadership. It can seem very lonely because you are the only one putting anything together, but Paul has a different idea of ministry. He puts right in the letter to Corinth when he says “…we work with you for your joy…”. Paul’s idea isn’t that we are to work alone, although some are called to be sole pastors or educators, but to work as a team keeping all accountable for their faith and for their actions. Encouraging one another to do the hard things, and to keep being inventive in how you share and live the message of Christ.

            Now I am not the best encourager, and some can attest to that, but I know One who is. He is going to encourage you to stay involved in His life and plan for you. He is willing to give you some guidance when you need it, and be silent when He knows it’s good for you. Christ is always willing to be in relationship and team ministry with you when you feel alone. He’s got the words for you to say so you don’t have to worry about it. I would like to leave you with this video of someone else encouraging you. Giving you the motivation to keep going and being awesome because awesome is all we can be when working with Christ on the greatest team of all.

“You don’t have to worry about tomorrow because God is already there.” –Zig Ziglar