I’ve been reading a book about identifying a true minister of Christ using the life of Paul. It’s for pastors but has application sections for church members. It’s been really convicting and encouraging. Here’s a passage that I have found particularly sweet right now:
“If you serve Christ faithfully, you will suffer. You might not be called to spill your blood as a testament to the One who loved you and gave Himself for you, but you will invest your days, your tears, your years, your sweat, your labor. You may never preach to more than fifty people; speak at conferences; write an article, review, blog post, or book; or sit on any important committees. Your sufferings may be emotional and spiritual and mental agonies rather than physical pains. You may yet find your mind and body collapsing under the strain of serving Christ and His church … You may labor week in, week out, and feel that you inch forward and slide back. You may live longing for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on you and your ministry and the people whom you serve that you will never see. You may be in a country where your Savior is virulently hated, and people attack you with swords; you may be in a country where your Redeemer is arrogantly despised, and people attack you with words. You may live under the threat of your life, or no one may care whether you live or die. You may be ignored; you may be rejected; you may be loathed. You will scratch and struggle and strive. There will be mountains you wish to conquer and hills you can barely climb. You will long to see feeble saints assured, and you will watch them struggle to their graves with the light of the gospel seeming barely to reach them. You will long to see the arrogant Christian humbled, the lazy made diligent, the lonely drawn in, the old fruitful, the young vigorous, the careless engaged, the fearful bold, the miserable joyful, the downcast lifted up. You will rejoice over your every small gain and be disappointed at your little progress. And you will keep on going.
You will often be unappreciated by the people you serve; they will wonder what you do with your time to such little effect. You will ask the same question of yourself. Your faith may be shaken and then be established; your hope may waver and then be made strong; your love may grow cold before it burns hot. You may be ready to resign on many Mondays, and you will stand to preach again every Lord’s Day and every other day that God gives you strength and opportunity. You will see the enemies coming, and you will cry from the walls. You will watch their approach, and you will plant your feet in the gates. You will feel isolated, and you will nevertheless stand in the gap. You will observe error and preach truth. You will watch for the wolves and feed the sheep. You will, like your great model, “seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick” (Ezek. 34:16). You will see men and women whom you love bruised and broken and battered by the assaults of the world, the flesh, and the devil. You will have weeping women and miserable men turn to you in their darkest hours and ask you for reasons and look to you for words of hope. You will see the hosts of hell and all the expressions of satanic malice the world can conjure flung against the church of Jesus Christ. And you will put your soul, your strength, your mind, your heart, your very body, between them and the church. And one day it will kill you, whether swiftly or slowly, and you will lie with your strength spent in the battle, and you will cross the river to your reward.
Why will you do it? Why do you do it? Because the church is the body of Christ, and every member is precious to Him.”
Rob Ventura and Jeremy Walker, A Portrait of Paul
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