As Christians we fall into the trap of believing that if we struggle and feel overwhelmed we’re doing something wrong, or worse, that God’s turned His back on us.
However, according to Jon Bloom of Desiring God, both of these ideas couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, Christians who feel these emotions welling up inside them are probably right where God wants them.
Sometimes the call is hard.
Jon wrote one of the chapters of his new book, , specifically to encourage those who are in discouraging ministry situations. Jon discusses how a true calling will make you feel under-qualified and uncomfortable.
“Kingdom work is supernatural work, no matter what your calling is if it doesn’t require real faith and a desperate dependence on God then either it’s not God’s calling or you don’t have it yet.”
A true calling requires us to reach beyond ourselves and it causes us to rely on God’s power to sustain us. If we are always comfortable in our ministry that means we haven’t found our calling yet.
“God gives us our calls. If He gives us a call we can be sure we are going to want to back out because we are going to be over our heads. We will think this is too hard, we don’t want to do this.”
It’s okay to be overwhelmed.
“Ministry is meant to be overwhelming because it’s work that God is doing.”
According to Jon, it is perfectly acceptable and normal to feel overwhelmed in ministry, in fact it’s a good thing. Feeling overwhelmed means you are a part of something bigger than yourself, something you can’t tackle alone.
No human being is adequately capable of shepherding God’s flock, and Christian leaders are called to rely on God to help them lead.
“As leaders, we are called to throw ourselves upon God and pray for grace and just begin to act out in faith, trusting that God will act.”
Jon points out that even those in ministry, serving in a Christ-like way, will often be maligned for their work. Jon urges those who serve to be like Moses – humbling themselves, serving God, and striving for commendation from God and not from those they are serving.
This is a reminder that it is so not about us – it is about Him.
Key Scriptures: John 15:1-5; Hebrews 11
Featured Songs: Glow in the Dark by Jason Gray; Live Forever by Matthew West; World-Changers by Matthew West
