Recently I was talking with someone about a new ministry she was getting involved with. As she spoke about the overwhelming needs, the blessings she received from her work, and the struggles God helped her overcome, I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. And guilty.
You see, the thing she was so passionate about was nowhere on my list of desires or interests to look up. I watched her eyes get teary talking about the needs and how she was spending every chance she had to meet some of those needs. I just nodded.
I was very excited for her. The ministry really is a great one. But it was hard for me to latch on with the same enthusiasm or say I’d ever thought about it before. My passion and ministry interests were focused on other things. And I felt bad I hadn’t contributed but I still didn’t feel a huge pull to do what she was doing. Was I being a bad Christian?
So then I started thinking how I could join up with what she was doing. What would need to change in my daily life? How much time and energy would it take? Would it benefit my family or make things more stressful in this season of life? The more I thought on it, the more I realized I wasn’t pursuing it with the right attitude. Yes, I knew it was a good cause but I was thinking of getting involved just to say, “I’m doing this.” There was no heart of service behind my actions. My motives were completely off.
Maybe it’s because in this age of social media everyone can post everything that means something to her, but I feel inundated with things that are good things but I will never have the time or financial resources to pour into. And sometimes without meaning to, our well intentioned friends can make the opportunities sound like we should have been involved for years and if we don’t support this one thing, the world will call Christians hypocrites.
It’s a lot of pressure for one person to give all her energy to every cause. I know it’s not possible. And yet, when I hear a friend telling me about her experience, something twinges and makes me wonder why I’ve never gotten involved with such a noble cause.
It’s taken me awhile but I’ve discovered that for many things the greatest thing I can do seems like something small but it’s still profitable. If I can’t support an organization with money, I can pray God will provide for them. If I can’t visit a missionary, I can send them an email or letter of encouragement. If I can’t take in a foster child, I can make a meal for a family who does. If I can’t sit at the hospital while a child undergoes a procedure, I can pray for the doctors and for the family.
You see, getting involved in something good doesn’t always mean we are front and center. It doesn’t mean serving in only the glamorous, seen ways. The behind the scenes prayerful moments are just as noticed by God. And even if the cause isn’t my passion project, I can take a few minutes a day to pray for those on the front lines.
I’m afraid sometimes we think unless someone knows we are serving and doing good it doesn’t matter. So prayer, writing letters, sending a gift card. Those are unknowns and not as helpful. But sometimes, it’s all we can do. And it is those little steps that teach us the most and show the extent of our trust in what God can do in spite of us.
I’m reminded of I Corinthians 12. The entire chapter talks about spiritual gifts and how many members make up the body of Christ. We each have a function or ministry. It doesn’t mean we can’t be excited about the ministry of another, but it does mean we don’t need to be involved in everything possible or feel pressured to do something just because someone else loves doing it.
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. {I Cor. 12:18-20}
Allow humility to lead your service. If your friend asks if you want to join the cause but you’re already stretched with family and ministry, don’t be afraid to say, “I’ll pray for you.” And don’t feel guilty if God has called you and given you opportunities in a different direction. We don’t all serve in the same way. But it is all service.
Photo by Helen P Mitchell on Unsplash