Keeping your eyes on your calling

Discouragement is a natural by-product of consistent ministry for God. Even the best of us find ourselves down, wondering if we can go on.

Have you been there? Of course you have.

What's one way to keep on going? Keep your eyes on your calling.

Steve Sjogren is the pastor of a Vineyard in Cincinnati, Ohio. One Monday morning he was feeling particularly discouraged and announced to his wife Janie, "I'm quitting the ministry! And this time I mean it."

Janie had heard this kind of talk before so she suggested, "Why don't you go for a drive and think things through? Usually that helps when you're stressed out. And while you're out, could you be a sweetheart and pick me up a burrito?"

Steve drove around for about an hour, complaining to the Lord the whole time. Finally, he was in the fast-food drive-thru to pick up Janie's burrito when he sensed the Lord speaking to him. He is very careful to say, he did not hear an audible voice ... nothing came over the drive-thru speaker. In a subtle, quiet way he sensed the Lord impressing this message on his heart, "If you open your door I will give you a gift."

Even though he felt silly, Steve figured he had nothing to lose, so he opened the car door, looked down and saw embedded in the asphalt, a tarnished penny. This is what he wrote about the experience:

"I reached down to pry out the coin and held in my hand feeling less than thankful for this 'gift.' The Lord spoke to me again: 'Many people in this city feel about as valuable as discarded pennies. I've given you the gift of gathering people who seem valueless. Though these are the people that the world casts off, they have great value to me. If you will open your heart, I will bring you more pennies than you know what to do with."

Paul writes to Timothy, "... I can endure all these things for the sake of those whom God is calling, so that they too may receive the salvation of Christ Jesus..." (2 Timothy 2:10).

We have a saying here at First Assembly: "If we go after people nobody wants, God will send us people everyone wants."

People are hurting. People need love. People need the Lord.

It's a great motivator in times of discouragement. And keeps me going when I am down.

May you be encouraged today by the needs of those around you.