There is one sure way to become tumbleweed driven and beaten by the world's wind or driftwood going where the water of life takes you.
There is one sure way of forgetting who you are and what you're here for, forgetting that blessings are not meant to be burdens, forgetting what are the most important things.
And how many of us have? Many, if the statistics are to be believed.
I was once in that statistic myself until just a few years ago. Now, I know in the minds of most, pastors' wives are mythical creatures who do everything right, but I am not one of them. I spent over a decade of my life as a disciple of Christ flirting with the idea of consistent time in the Word. And some of those years (too many) were years that I was also a pastor's wife.
And to be honest, I was not all that concerned about it. I wished, of course, that I was more consistent, but as long as I had my Bible study lesson completed or my discipleship material prepared, I generally felt I had done enough.
Looking back on those years, I recognize a woman easily affected by emotions, tossed and battered by the circumstances of life. I also recognize my obligatory perspective on the Word: reading it is something a good Christian does, and it's good to know for ministry purposes what the Bible says.
I was withering away and didn't know it, unable to see how my convenience food diet had weakened my faith, my mind, and my ministry.
Church planting shook me to the core. I could no longer be tossed around by my emotions when my everyday thoughts were full of discouragement and doubt. I could no longer respond to the circumstances of life with a self pep talk when I had nothing of value to offer myself. And when I retreated to food or t.v. or sleep, things I thought would feed my soul, they only left me unsatisfied and numb.
Where else could I go but to the Word of life, to the Words of life? When I knew my desperate need, the Bible rose to meet me with hope, truth, joy, motivation, and conviction. Through it, God set my feet on a firm foundation and gave me tools to fight the fiery arrows flying my way. In the Word, my faith became strong.
There is one sure way to grow up strong, one sure way to be filled completely with joy and motivation, one sure way to move about purposefully, one sure way of thoughts and emotions gathering around truth.
There is one sure way to become an oak tree planted firm, undaunted by the world's wind of confusion and deceit.
There is one sure way of remembering who you are and what you're here for, remembering that blessings are not meant to be burdens, remembering what are the most important things.
And there is one sure way of bearing fruit in ministry.
And there is one sure way of bearing fruit in ministry.
We only have to give ourselves to the Word.
Blessed is the man...whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3
