I Don’t Want to Be Here
“Son,” a mother said one Sunday morning, “are you up yet? You need to get up!”
“I don’t want to,” he moaned.
Agitated, she knocked on the door again. “Son, you have to get up. We have to get to church.”
“I’m not going.”
“Oh really now? And why would you say that?”
“Because nobody likes me there. The kids make jokes about me, the Sunday School teachers hate me, nobody talks to me unless they want something, and it seems that everything that goes wrong is somehow my fault.”
“Get up and get to church.”
“Why should I? Give me just three good reasons.”
“Because your mother says you had better. And because we all need to be in church whether we like it or not. And because you are the pastor!”
Do not make the mistake of Moses
If you thought that everything would be easy and everyone would be lovable once you started serving God, you never read the Bible. Think about Moses. Nobody liked him. He was called to people who were complainers and were always trying to get away from his leadership. Yet he was called.
Moses’s biggest mistake is that he let the people get to him. They made him so mad one day that he disobeyed God. Perhaps in his ministerial training, someone should have told Moses that we serve whether the people like us or not.
Moses had a hard time relating to anyone. He was a Hebrew raised in an Egyptian king’s home. The Egyptians would never see him as one of them—he looked different. The Hebrews would never see him as one of them—he talked different.
Do not make the mistake of Jonah
Often, God sends us to uncomfortable situations. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. He did not like those people. His fears came to life the day the Lord forgave those people and did not destroy them. It made him so mad. Jonah cared more about his shade tree than he did those people.
Perhaps the Lord has moved you out of your comfort zone. Perhaps He has placed you among people you do not understand or in a situation where you are uncomfortable. Well, cheer up. He has been there too!
Wait, you thought you were special because you felt like a misfit? Imagine what it would be like to be the perfect Ruler of the universe who comes to visit your own planet and people don’t like you. Think that is tough? Think you have to get warm fuzzies from your situation to be sure you are in the will of God?
If you were only around people who loved you, who would crucify you? If serving the Lord was all about running through fields of daisies and laughing with soul-mates, then there would be no risk. The Kingdom of God is a narrow path. It is difficult to enter and tough to stay in. Without Him, it would be impossible.
How to enter the Kingdom
Perhaps if you fully understood the Kingdom, you would warn newcomers like the apostles did: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22, GW). Paul and Barnabas said this to new believers shortly after they had been attacked by a mob that left Paul for dead.
You can do this. You don’t have to love the landscape where God has placed you. You may not totally “get” the culture of the people where you live. But you are there and so are people who need love. Fill your love tank in the presence of Jesus and reach those who also are hurting in this hateful world.
Don’t be like Moses and let your frustrations hurt your chances of serving them. Don’t be like Jonah and hope they get what they deserve. Be like Jesus and love them even while they ignore you, lie about you, and plot your end. The ones you do reach will be worth it all in that life where no rejection happens and no one is a misfit.
12 Comments
Great thought. To often we do seem to wish punishment on evil acting people rather then Praying for their salvation. God bless
Yes, we must overcome evil with good!
This is awesome, something I need to be reminded of often.
Thank you for your heartfelt service to the Lord!
This article was awesome~ thank you for your encouragment!!! I always enjoy your writings!
You are very kind!
This is so very true. Thank you! So many times people forget it is not going to be easy being in the ministry.
It is more like enlisting in the military–it is meant to be challenging!
For some reason many in ministry falsely believe that because they are God called everything will be smooth sailing. God has called us to ministry, and just as He faced difficulty in His ministry we will face it in ours.
We was despised and rejected the bible says…if we are truly Christlime we may also face rejection and be despised even by those that we are helping and by fellow laborers.
If we will take up our own cross and bear it we will find tthat teuly His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
So true!
Thank you for your message today.
I recently volunteered for a position in my church Where there was a great need for and I am deeply drawn to and love, but once established there, I feel totally uncomfortable in. I really desire to be used of God, however once I started, feel completely unequipped for. Also once begun, the enemy has attacked my physical health to the point that I am really struggling to stay the course. I do NOT want to quit, however,I have wondered whether I should have volunteered or waited to be asked. Did I step ahead of God or did I follow his leading? This is what keeps playing in my mind. Is this normal or should I share this concern with my Pastor? At the moment there is no one else to fill this position as everyone is working double duty (our church is very small but God is really moving there…there has been a great refreshing in ou church “body”)
Could you shed a bit of light in my direction?
I would definitely talk things over with a wise, spiritual person. It may be a spiritual battle trying to get you to quit. However, there is that guilt-laden statement we often hear: “See a need, fill a need.” I think we have all suffered with a teacher or boss who just needed an income but hated their job. It is best to know what God’s plan is for you and to do your best to His glory.