Go for the training of the Spirit
Weariness in ministry is usually caused by being stagnant, but if you rely on God’s word and know how to make progress, you will do better.
In Matthew 13, Jesus spoke about the sower and the seed – he primarily spoke about fruitfulness; how you achieve results at the end of the day. Results cannot be taken away from ministry, if you put the good seed in the good ground, you will get good results.
Matthew 13:18-23
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
How then do we achieve progress? Observe why the other seeds did not grow, something always happened that stopped the growth. What brings progress is when you make it through tests, there is no progress without a test. Paul, in writing to the church in Philippi, told us about Jesus – that he thought it not robbery to be equal with God, rather he took on the form of man and because of this, he was given a name above every other name – this tells us that Jesus had to go through a test, had to die the death (without death, there is no reward).
You cannot have things without going through what it takes to get it. What makes us know progress is when we can beat the test.
As we progress in the faith, we will have multiple times for testing in our adventures with God. God tested Israel (Deuteronomy 8:1-2)
1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Paul says anyone that will be made a Pastor in the local church must be tested first with the office of a deacon (1 Timothy 3:10). So, tests are not wrong or bad. When the believer passes the test, progress is made.
Being eager to make progress means we are saying we want the test. It’s not all about being excited. When the excitement wears off, that’s when the real test starts. There are tests that go beyond the excitement stage.
One thing to note is that when you are not progressing, you need to recognize that there is a test you are failing. So, look out for those tests and be eager to progress.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Bible Reading – Jeremiah 45-48
TEACHING OF THE DAY
This is holy ground (2)