Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
(Galatians 6:9 NIV)
I designed and created a beautiful yard and garden in my last home, and I spent many happy hours in the sunshine weeding, nurturing, growing… And there was nothing I loved more than going out to the garden each evening to pick our supper vegetables. As time went on, however, the garden became more of a chore. I simply didn’t have the time, and what had once been a stress-reliever was now a stressor. When it came time to downsize this year and move across the country, I specifically looked for a place without much of a yard to take care of, and God gave me the perfect place: A beautiful little townhouse where the yard is completely maintained by … someone other than me!
When I moved in, there was still snow on the ground. As we transitioned into a long and beautiful spring, however, the old urge to garden returned. Only now I had a problem! There was nowhere to plant the garden! Except on my small deck…
I now have hanging tomato vines, a box for potatoes, and snow peas growing up the privacy wall. Radishes, cucumber, herbs and lettuce are growing in pots, and I will soon be planting sun and shade annuals in hanging baskets.
In a nutshell, God gave me what I love … in a size that I can now manage. Gardening is once again a joy and not a stressor…
God has also given me a ministry. There are many facets to that ministry: writing, praying, taking people out for coffee for encouragement, etc. God has had me in ministry for many years. He kept it small, however, when I was working, then caregiving for my mom and then for my husband. He even kept it small as I prepared for the cross-country move. Now that I’m settled in my new home, now that I’m not working or caregiving, it seems to have done the opposite to my garden! It has grown instead of shrinking!
Was I wrong to have only participated a small amount of time in ministry before?
Not at all. God understands that there are only 24 hours in each day and 8 of those need to be spent sleeping. He understands that in these seasons of our lives, teaching, writing, encouraging, preaching, etc., have to take a back-burner. He does, however, still call us all into ministry. Most people wouldn’t call caregiving a “ministry”, and most people don’t see their work places as “ministries”, but they can and should be considered as such! Remember that just because I don’t have my big garden and all of my flower beds anymore doesn’t mean that I don’t get to garden! My garden looks different now, that’s all! And so did my ministry up until now. Instead of saying you don’t have time for ministry, remember: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters… It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24 NIV)
Now, however, because I no longer have those other things vying for my time, God is calling me to do more, to reach out more, to encourage more.
This is the beautiful thing about ministry. Wherever you find yourselves in life, God has a ministry that only you can do. Maybe your ministry is to pour into your kids. Maybe it is to volunteer in the kitchen at church. Maybe it is to keep the snow off your elderly neighbour’s driveway. Or maybe God is calling you into a more full-time type of ministry. God’s calling will always be something that you can manage, with His help, no matter where you find yourself in life!
Ministry, like gardening, may change with the life’s season you find yourself in. Even though you are always called to serve, God simply resizes our ministries to fit wherever we are in life! Let’s remember, in the words of the apostle Peter: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)
Ask yourself: Where am I currently in my life? How can I see my current responsibilities as a ministry?
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries