10 Scriptures To Help You Stick It Out In Ministryعينة

Seven years ago, I was hired on to be the Worship Pastor at a church plant in Oregon. This new role afforded me the privilege of working from home so that I could cut childcare out of our budget, and spend more time at home with my oldest son who was 2 years old at the time. This church plant was a lovely place. A great and dedicated community with a lead pastor that had a lot of passion in reaching the lost. In fact, this church was where my husband and I healed tremendously. As my time there extended, I began to grow weary and frustrated. And because it was a new church, I really wanted to see it thrive. I tried to make the changes that only I could make and encourage those around me to do the same. But I could feel myself becoming bitter. Then I simply got to a place where I didn't care at all. I knew I had to do something since my heart and mind were not in a healthy place. After two years, our season at this church ended. My heart mourned. I begged God to reconcile this family for His glory. I prayed for the members. And I begged God some more. I didn't know what else to do. But that was the problem. I was doing and not being, which is what I believed God wanted me to do all along. So I stopped, and I sat. I wasn't living in self-pity or self-righteousness. I just sat in the stillness of God. When negativity was all around me, I remained still. When I wanted to defend myself, I remained still. While mourning the loss of career and community, I remained still. In that stillness, I found grace & forgiveness. For myself. For others. In that stillness, the truth emerged. For myself. For others. In that stillness, God drew me close. To Himself. To others. In that stillness, joy restored my joy. To Himself. To others. And in that, I finally saw that stillness is a CHOICE. A beautiful and freeing choice. I still have a choice every day whether I choose to be still or choose to take matters into my own hands. What about you? How do you take matters into your own hands? How can you choose stillness in your life? By Jenni Clayville