Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Stagnation

You don't have to know me well at all to know that I enjoy & follow the ministry of Beth Moore.
She almost always makes me laugh. She sometimes makes me cry.
She encourages believers to read & study The Word because she knows The Word is life to God's children. She's right.

But today, she provoked me to thought. I believe that's the mark of an effective minister or ministry.
In fact, I think it's the job of those in ministry, nay, their responsibility, to do just that and do it often.

If I'm not thinking, I'm not learning. If I'm not learning, I become stagnant.

Stagnant: adj., not flowing; stale; not advancing or developing.  Ewwww ... no bueno.

The provocation? Her question:

"What do you look like when you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?"

I read it again. Only this time it was personal:

"Kimberly, what do you look like when you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?"

If I'd been standing in front of mirror at that moment, I fear I would have been unrecognizable.

The truth is I hadn't thought about anything faintly resembling that in quite a while. <insert stagnation here>  The elements contributing to the stagnation process?

Pain.

Tears.

Fear.

Confusion.

Panic.

Anger but not too much. Just enough to bring on ...

Hopelessness.

Isolation.

Distraction.

What prompted the process? That's unimportant.

What is important is recognizing the process exists, regardless of it's stage. Acknowledging it.

I believe that complacency is cancer in the life of the Believer. There's no place for it. Never. EVER.

God doesn't un-call those He has called.  He doesn't un-anoint those He has anointed. He doesn't change. I like love that about Him.

I've taken a good long look and I don't see the same woman in the midst of ministry, full of joy & so in love with her Savior. The woman so appreciative of her salvation, never doubting He loved her and always confident that, in His time, He would meet her every need.

I miss her. I don't think I realized that until just now. She needs to get back to doing her Father's business.  If she has to do it tired and hurting than so be it.

Who would have thought an impromptu blog post by someone several states and a timezone away would have prompted so much thought? I bet Jesus did.  He's awesome like that. ;)






















































2 comments:

  1. I see that you wrote this post in March, but the words are so perfect for me today.

    "Who would've thought that an impromptu blog post written (several months ago) by someone several states and timezones away would've prompted so much thought? I bet Jesus did! He's awesome like that :)
    Thank you my friend for letting Him use you, and thank you too for your kind words on my blog :)
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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    Replies
    1. Oh Marcia, you sweet thang! He is awesome like that, isn't He? I hope this finds you in the midst of enjoying your Summer, feeling so very loved by your Savior. Thanks for stopping by ;)

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