This post is written to link with Five Minute Friday: write for five minutes on a one-word prompt. The prompt today is “easy.”
“Just because you’re called doesn’t mean it will be easy; just because it’s not easy doesn’t mean you’re not called.”
Last year I had the privilege of being part of a small group of people, from my church and from a couple of other local churches, all of whom were starting new ministries or projects. We met monthly (mostly online) to share and pray together, and, although the ministries and projects we were trying to establish were very different, it was a great encouragement to meet with other people who were on a similar journey, facing similar challenges.
One of the meetings I found the most helpful was when we had some visitors – a couple who had set up a new church plant and who shared about some of the joys and challenges of that and the lessons they had learned along the way.
The quote at the top of this post was my key takeaway. At the time of the meeting (almost exactly a year ago) I felt stuck. We were in complete lockdown (again!) with no end in sight. The task of attempting to start a new ministry certainly didn’t feel like an easy one. I had never expected it to be an easy task, but after months of false starts and cancelled plans, it was easy to question my calling and to ask why everything had to be so hard.
These words were the encouragement I needed to keep going, and I think they’re important to remember. Whenever we are trying to do something for God, there will be challenges and there will be opposition. We shouldn’t be surprised by that and we needn’t be discouraged.
It’s interesting, a year on from that discussion, to look back over the past year. A lot has changed, normal life has got going again, and in many ways things have moved forward. Even with that, it certainly hasn’t been easy. Getting going has brought its own challenges, some that I might have foreseen and some that have been completely unexpected, but often it’s in the challenges that we learn and grow.
It hasn’t been an easy path, and I don’t expect it to become easy any time soon, but it has been absolutely worth it to see God at work.
Life in the Spacious Place 
Love the quote
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Thanks – me too!
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That the days are on the brink
and feel like I am falling,
they still cannot compel me think
that this is not a calling.
That the cancer rips my chest
and steals away my breath,
it can’t take from me these best
days that lead to death,
for walking steadfast at my side
is He who died for me,
and I don’t care what may betide
en route to Calvary,
for though my feet are torn by stone,
I know that I am not alone.
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We lean toward easy, don’t we? But it can cause us to miss out on some amazing adventures. I’m glad you’re experiencing delight in walking a harder path.
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So true. Thanks for sharing.
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I agree Lesley! 😊
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We shouldn’t be surprised or discouraged by the challenges…well, amen! Such practical advice…and some that I seem to quickly forget. I really like the quote as well. Thanks for sharing. I hope that you are seeing progress – and even blessings – in the ministry that you were beginning. How nice it would be to have a support group such as you had!!
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There’s a lot in this post I can relate to.
Thanks for sharing.
P.S. Love the quote. Is it okay to share it? If so, who should I credit? Did you write it.
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Lesley, that’s a great reminder and very timely for me, as I try again to start what I believe the Lord has put in front of me. Thanks for the encouragement. Kath, Your FMF neighbour at #3 this week.
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