Question
Dear Pastor Lance – I am currently involved in a ministry but often question whether or not I’m making a difference. I love God with all my heart, I have a heart for people, and lives are changing in the ministry I’m a part of. I also wonder whether I am in the RIGHT ministry and always second-guess myself. Maybe God wants me to do something else. What do you suggest to do about my constant insecurity in ministry?
Answer
Here’s the bottom line for me:
- You are called to ministry. Every believer is called to ministry. Does that mean that you are supposed to be paid or full time? No. But, I would suggest that indicators (fruit in the ministry, confirmation of others, focus, etc.) are that you are indeed called for formal ministry.
- As a believer, you are selected out by God with an anointing to bless His people.
- Your journey is largely finding a niche where your gifting matches up with your calling at this time.
- Your ministry will change and morph over time.
- You need to do the ministry that is right in front of you and keep and eye out for other opportunities to do what God lays on your heart – it’s not more complicated than that.
- Sometimes we think that we are surrounded with a million options and HOW DO WE CHOOSE? But that’s not true. God lays out only a few options at a time that are realistic and that you will feel truly drawn to. If you are desiring more than a few options, you are likely receiving a general calling of God, but not a specific calling (i.e. Called to being involved with worship, but not being told how or where). I knew early on that I was going to spend my life loving people and drawing them toward God, but I didn’t have pastor on my list of options, that was to come later.
- God has a way of forcing us into our niche. He lets us gather whatever title the world has to offer and then demands via our gifting what we do. For example, you have leadership gifts, but you are only allowed to serve as a cook’s assistant in a kitchen. By design the rest of the cooks have to cave to your gifting and they tend to fall in line under your leadership. Eventually you are running the kitchen and there’s nothing that anyone can do about it. Even if you don’t hold the title ‘ultimate leader,’ everyone knows who truly runs the show. So, as you can see, if you are called to lead in an arena of influence, you will, it’s inevitable. Our job is to remain open to His leadings and make the whole process smoother by tracking with His voice, but make no mistake, He can force the issue.
- I recommend that you read the book, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell, it’s a leadership book and I’m leading some leaders through it right now. It’s super simple. If you have a calling to shepherd, you need to learn how to shepherd people … better. Good enough is not okay. You need to excel. You need to hone your gifting. God will provide the power, you need to hone it so that people can follow you more easily and peacefully. Become great at motivating, reading people, expressing God’s truth in easy ways, prayer, intercession, etc.
- We worry so much about whether or not we will miss God’s best. The older I get the more I feel that if we have a soft, willing heart, with good advisors, then it’s not likely.
- If we want to lead and there is no opening, then it’s not the right timing or perhaps you need more training before God gets you public.
- But, if you can lead right now, lead with all diligence.
