You Will Have Trouble

Years ago when I was involved in pastoral ministry, I recall a young woman who had recently become a Christian. It was a difficult time in her life as a single mom barely working enough to pay the rent. With family help the person was able to finish a college degree and secure a position as a high school math teacher. It was a blessing from God that affirmed her faith. The salary was excellent, and her schedule coincided with her daughter’s school schedule. What more could one ask for considering the woman’s circumstances?

The joy was short-lived. She was not happy with the employment atmosphere. I recall her saying, “There are no Christians in the high school!”

My response was, “Well that might be just the reason why God provided this job opportunity for you.”

She persisted in the teaching position for a while longer and then resigned.

John 16:33 reminds us: “… in the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.

When Jesus entered this world as man, he did not send an advance team to “clean” it up, sanitize it, or make aesthetically attractive. Ministry is messy … and it’s supposed to be! We are called into the trenches where “no Christians are working here.” We may not like the place where God has placed us at moment. But that may be where God wants us for the moment.

Don’t pine away your life with “what ifs”. Take a look around beyond the surface, remember Jesus has already overcome the situations you face, and begin ministering to the lost, the downtrodden and the sick.

Robert Parlante
September 2015