Stepping stone or stumbling block?

One thing I’ve learned from doing ministry was that problems, troubles, differences and crises are inevitable. I find some of these disturbances are beyond my control while some are direct results of my immature behavior. Regardless of the cause, they affect how I do ministry. I remember a year ago, I was desperate to pay my loan from the bank because it’s gaining a lot of interest. I couldn’t help but think what I must do to pay that debt which led me to almost quitting my ministry so I could find another job to earn much. But at the same time having doubt whether my decision would be the wisest decision I will ever make. Fortunately, that circumstance led me to study the Biblical principles on money and final management.

In some instances when my team was asking for budget in one of our youth programs, we ended up in frustration and felt forsaken. We just thought the leaders didn’t buy our idea, or at least they just didn’t want to help us. Sometimes it could go beyond arguments, which I would take it personally and I would harbor anger over that person. I was humbled upon realizing that I was just hurting my own self had I continue in this child-like attitude. I was not also modeling a good example to the young people or to my youth leadership team as well.

But even if these problems are kept on uprising, and every day I am exposed to them, I have learned to pursue serving God in spite of the conflict. Never again will my ministry suffer because of unresolved personal issues. On the hand, I am very thankful that I have experienced them in my early years of service because it makes a lot of sense if similar situation comes forth in the future. It’s encouraging to know and to draw lessons from personal experiences. They are all part of the formative years that I must experience as minister of God. “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Prov. 37:4). I have matured at some sort through the problems and crises, and it is my ultimate goal to be completely transformed into a Christ-like way of solving them.

I also believe that God can use every circumstance to establish his purpose for us. Paul says “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Ro. 8:28). The way I face these challenges now is very different from the past. In fact, I have always encouraged my team to see them as stepping stones rather stumbling blocks. Every time we experience them, we see them as opportunities for us to grow and serve God better. At the end of the day, it’s not what we experienced but what was have we become that makes it significant.