Last night, one of the kids in my youth group called upset. There was something going on in his life that was causing him great distress. But, in the process, he was seeing God. He asked me several times if I thought this was a test from God. It made me think about a couple of things.
First, in the middle of this young man's emotional pain, he was seeking God. Too many times in our society, we look to blame someone, emphasize how we are a vcitim and focus only on the event of the pain. But not this young man. He was hurting but also seeking the wisdom of God as a resolution to the feelings he was experiencing. I am very proud of him.
The second thing that occurs to me as a result of this is to some degree a little selfish but more importantly, it is a testament to the effect my ministry is having and how I sometimes underestimate this and forget to trust the Holy Spirit that the ministry is making a difference.
As I wait for my journey into the diaconate to continue, this incident reminds me that this is our Father's world and we are called to be faithful unto him. Sometimes, our being human gets in the way. It is not about what results you see right away. It is more about having faith in the Holy Spirit that the work of God is indeed happening through your ministry and that you are making a difference without focusing on the human 'reward and satisfaction' elements we all fall to from time to time.
Let us go forth to love and serve the Lord.
First, in the middle of this young man's emotional pain, he was seeking God. Too many times in our society, we look to blame someone, emphasize how we are a vcitim and focus only on the event of the pain. But not this young man. He was hurting but also seeking the wisdom of God as a resolution to the feelings he was experiencing. I am very proud of him.
The second thing that occurs to me as a result of this is to some degree a little selfish but more importantly, it is a testament to the effect my ministry is having and how I sometimes underestimate this and forget to trust the Holy Spirit that the ministry is making a difference.
As I wait for my journey into the diaconate to continue, this incident reminds me that this is our Father's world and we are called to be faithful unto him. Sometimes, our being human gets in the way. It is not about what results you see right away. It is more about having faith in the Holy Spirit that the work of God is indeed happening through your ministry and that you are making a difference without focusing on the human 'reward and satisfaction' elements we all fall to from time to time.
Let us go forth to love and serve the Lord.
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