Ministry and intimacy. We think they conflict for some reason. Often times, I think that ministry and worshipping are two separate acts. But in reality, they are intertwined and so connected that it’s ridiculous! In fact, Graham Cooke says this, “ALL of life is spiritual, so all of your life is a ministry.” What a great Truth to remember! If we aren’t walking in the Spirit, not talking to the Father, not experiencing the Spirit of God, then we are failing to do life with Him. He is worthy of our love and thoughts. And even as I write this, you have to know this comes at a time of fluctuation. I haven’t been feeling this. Times have been hard, and not easy to be in the Spirit like I enjoy and was created to be in. But, God draws me back to Himself, showing me that this world just cannot cut it. That chasing after Him is an everyday, every moment sprint. It’s fast. We can’t have any part of us that is lagging or wanting to go back. The biggest scare that I have had has been to be walking the same way and the same speed I did when I first became a Christian. It was good for then, but now He is calling me to give even more, to love Him even more. Why? Because He deserves every breath I breathe, every thought I think, every smile I smile. He deserves my worship. And, He is my greatest delight. The joy of the Lord is my strength (as written in Nehemiah 8:10). How true of a statement that really is. In times of struggle, I think we can all count the losses, and the heartaches. We feel the brokenness. We feel the weight of our shame. As Paul even wrote about suffering:
“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us”-2 Corinthians 1:8b-10
We have to rely on God. Not ourselves. Last time I checked, I didn’t possess any power in the confines of my weak flesh to overcome my circumstances. But the power of God can. And He does. It is when we worship Him, that we proclaim His beauty, power, steadfast love, and comfort over our hurt as well as the enemy. Jesus said that if we abide in Him, and ask anything in His Name, He will do it (John 15:7). The power of our pleas, requests and proclamations have to be understood. The Holy Spirit inside of us can proclaim eternal yells and truths. Our praises not only reach God whom we worship but pierce the enemy who is after our soul.
I hope this encourages the Church to realize that there is power in the words He gives us. There is Life that is spoken. Love the Lord. Love people around you. Give yourself to Him and give your words to Him. He will honor you in His Kingdom, and on earth. Let Him resurrect you out of the grave of shame and disappointment, and allow Him to sink the gospel into you. It is a fight we have to fight until He comes back.
