PART 06: Finding My Calling and Ministry
5 minute read
Having met Christ, been filled with His Spirit, experienced hundreds of answered prayers and several miracles, and having gone through some really rough times, I ended up learning a lot about God, people, circumstances, AND myself. Looking back on all of that, I can see God’s Hand in my life. He allowed me to go through those storms to prepare me for the ministry He eventually gave to me.
Here’s what I do:
1. I am a teacher. I teach others about the various aspects of and maturity levels within Christendom – things sometimes not taught in pulpits.
2. I am an anchor and a lifejacket. I help others weather the sometimes unpredictable and tumultuous storms of life.
3. I am a listener. I listen to those who feel no one ever listens to them. I listen for hours without giving comment or advice (unless I am asked).
4. More specifically, I help those who struggle with anger, bitterness, resentfulness, hostility and un-forgiveness – because I speak those dialects fluently!
From working with a lot of current and wayward Christians, I have observed that a lot of them have never been taught “the basics of their faith.” Consider the following analogy:
Someone has been a lawyer for five to six years. At the bare minimum, this means:
• They’ve attended and graduated from high school.
• They’ve attended and graduated from a university – as an undergraduate.
• They’ve attended and graduated from a law school.
• They’ve taken and passed the bar exam.
• They’ve accumulated 10,000 to 12,000 hours of experience practicing/researching certain area(s) of law.
So when you ask them a question regarding the law – within their area of experience and expertise – they’ll more than likely have a well-thought-out answer.
The same is supposed to be true of Christians, yes? I mean, if someone has been a Christian for 5 to 6 years (i.e., 260 to 312 weeks, 1826 to 2192 days), shouldn’t they know a lot about and have experienced a lot in the areas of spiritual development and real-life encounters? Shouldn’t their teachers (e.g., pastors, priests, elders, deacons, mentors, etc..) have taught them about the various aspects of Christian living (e.g., how to read and study the Scriptures, how to pray, how to communicate effectively, polemics, apologetics, demonology, finances/stewardship, evangelism, Heaven, Hell, eternity, etc..)? And, after five to six years of church attendance, fellowship, and weekly Bible studies (i.e., 500-600 hours of training), shouldn’t most Christians be close to graduating from the elementary school of Christ and start positively impacting their communities? I would think so! Yet, there are so many Christians who don’t know how to pray; who don’t read their Bibles; who can’t give you an example of answered prayer, etc.. So, this is a topic I will address in subsequent articles.
Here’s my point in all of this:
From where I stand now, I see the Christian journey as being very similar to the journey most of us experience in normal life (but the main difference with the Christian is that Christ is supposed to become the centerpiece):
| HUMANITY | CHRISTIANITY |
| 1. We are born into this life. | 1. We’re born again. Christ becomes Master and Ruler of our time, finances/tongue/health/wardrobe, etc… |
| 2. We grow and become a child. | 2. We don’t know much, are dependent & must learn the basics from our pastors/elders/mentors. |
| 3. We grow some more, become a teenager & gain some responsibilities. | 3. We mature a bit, change our lives & gain some responsibilities. |
| 4. We age a bit more, become an adult & gain even more responsibilities. | 4. We become Christ-Centered & focus on eternity. |
| 5. We age a lot and become a senior. | 5. We become sold-out for Christ! |
While I am thankful I have overcome all of that negative stuff along the way, I am embarassed it took so long! Also, I’m ashamed of the relationships I lost and ruined along the way!!!
So when I look back at all that I’ve experienced, I can see how the Lord used these events to teach me certain lessons I am now able to handle with grace and finesse, as well as pass on to others and help them overcome.
If you have questions or comments, email me here and let’s chat!
Roy
P.S. If you struggle with bitterness, resentment, anger, or feelings of hostility and un-forgiveness, and you want freedom, I’m your guy. I can help you overcome! I want to encourage you to read my article entitled “Forgiveness.” Then, if you have questions and/or would like some help, you know how to get ahold of me.
• My Journey Part 01: Where I Started
• My Journey Part 02: New Beginnings
• My Journey Part 03: An Adventurous & Atrocious Period
• My Journey Part 04: Moving Forward
• My Journey Part 05: Personal Jonah Experience
• My Journey Part 07: Where Am I Today…
