I sat with my brother and sister in law, Kristian and Kerri, last night after a wonderful night of babysitting and talked about the trials of ministry, the ups and downs and the sheer weight of being in ministry. I am just beginning, I barely have my feet wet so I was gaining some much needed advice and something Kristian said is still ringing in my ears.
He said, “you know Tindell I can stand on stage and lead worship, and do a great job because that’s my gifting, and I can play the right songs and say the right things, and I can even cause hundreds to come to Christ through my music but if I don’t know God personally then I’ve missed the point of life. Even after all I’ve done for God if I stand at his throne at the end of my life and he says, “but I never knew you personally”, then my life will have been a total waste”
This is why knowing God is so key in ministry, because at the end of the day its not about how many teens I reached and its not about how many people bought my book (which still isn’t out) it’s about the fact that I ooze Jesus. My number one job in life is to know and fall in love with my savior. My gifting can show others Jesus but if I’m not so deeply in love with him myself then it’s all a sham.
So here’s my question for you, do you really know Jesus or are you just doing his work? What is he going to say to you at the end of your life? Will he be proud of what you accomplished but know nothing of you personally or will he be thrilled with who you are and what you’ve done with his name?
I have to say this gave me a real gut check, I’ve gotten so caught up in this whole work God has been doing that I have forgotten who gave me the gifts in the first place. My number one goal is to fall in love with Jesus anything after that is just his blessing.
For Kristians Ministry visit www.kristianstanfill.com
And….. For a fun clip from babysitting watch this Jumping Norah Bean
jackie - Yes, amen to this. Crazy convicting, but seriously cool. It is good to check yourself on your motives. It is wonderful to know that you can be used so powerfully by God, but, then, like King Uzziah in the Bible, it is easy to forget that God is number one, and it is the relationship that you have with Him that makes it all possible. Thank you so much, because it is sometimes easier to step out and give your testimony than it is to preach a sound a message, and this is both.