This wordart is by Melanie of http://mmdcreations.blogspot.com/.
In this past week we have come to know just how difficult the journey inward is. Oh boy....where to start....when we start reflecting on our own lives, often times we don't even want to be honest with ourselves. For the past 10 years (from 8 July 1998) we have been in full time ministry. We take care of approximately 450 people, providing accommodation, food, spiritual guidance, etc. You know how bad the weather was last week...well when I started thinking up excuses to not go to work, I knew I was in serious trouble. When we started the Centre 10 years ago I can truly say that we did what God called us for, with DIGNITY and DELIGHT. Why did I lose the delight I had, what happened, why was it no longer a pleasure to serve? Was it burn out....or something more serious?
Many years ago the Lord gave us this scripture from 1 Corinthians 3...on how to do the work He has called us to. That whatever we do, our foundation had to be Jesus.
1Co 3:7 The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow.
1Co 3:8 There is no difference between the one who plants and the one who waters; God will reward each one according to the work each has done.
1Co 3:9 For we are partners working together for God, and you are God's field. You are also God's building.
1Co 3:10 Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build.1Co 3:11 For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.
1Co 3:12 Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw.
1Co 3:13 And the quality of each person's work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it and show its real quality.
1Co 3:14 If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.
Last week when I felt so despondent I was reminded of this scripture again. Those first years were hard. We were out of our comfort zone, we had given up everything that we always thought so important...and we were so incredibly dependant on Him. To finance the ministry we had to start various projects...we believed in being self supporting. Not to beg, or ask the government for help...after all this was God's project not ours, surely He will sustain us. Well He did...and today we can truly look back on a project that is very successful, and not by our doing.
But somewhere in all of this our vision changed slightly and we were no longer on the solid foundation of Jesus. This had to be rectified and quickly. At this stage we have more than 150 people on our destitute program, and all we are allowed to build with is Jesus...the business side of things cannot ever become more important than Him. The admin and financial side of things have become such a burden that I no longer wanted to be part of it. So on Thursday last week it was with heavy hearts that we called a meeting with all our leaders and told them that things are going to change and we must go back to the order that God has for the Centre. With many tears I told them that lately I had found so many excuses not to go to work...that all I saw was the admin and finances...and that is not what I live for. I get so bogged down by the admin that I no longer have time for the precious people that God has entrusted to us.
I live to see people led back to Jesus and I live to see them grow in maturity and wholeness. I want to work with people not paper...paper and finance is not what God had called me to. I want to be part of their process of healing...that has substance...that is what will have everlasting worth.
Please pray for us, that we will keep our eyes firmly on Him who is the author and perfecter of our faith. Please pray that we will continue to build on the Solid Foundation of Jesus and that the work that we do will not be burned up by fire.
Lynette
