Living In The Now

There is a statement I have heard many times over the years; “I am waiting on God for where He wants me to serve Him next”. Granted I heave heard this mostly from those who feel they are called to full time ministry but also from those who feel they are waiting on God for what he wants them to do “next” in their church or are looking for a new ministry to “serve” in.

I recently came across a letter I once wrote to a friend who has saying the things I quoted above. I thought it might be a good word to hear for those of us in our Christian life who are at a spot that we feel is the “in between” times of ministry. So here it is:

The question is not about where or when, it is all about now. What you are doing now is serving God just as much as you were when you were your full time ministry. God does not look at the span of our influence but the depth of our obedience. That is how he defines service to him. Not in a ministry but in a life that is always ministering to him by doing what he wants and honoring him where we are at. It is in the moment of now that obedience and worship occurs. Not in the moments to come. We never know what the next moment of life will be nor is God expecting us to be looking ahead waiting for that moment so we can serve him.

 James 4:14-15

 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it's here a little while, then it's gone.

It’s the moment of now that demonstrates who we are before our God. The Future is still waiting to be written.

I know you desire to serve God. I think sometimes we that are in ministry get used to that being who we are. Who we are is not a pastor, or a Sheppard, or a minister. Those are roles God calls us to. Who we are is our character and it’s what we do and how we live in everything, no matter what “role” we have in a stage in life.

You are just as much in God’s service now. No more and no less. And as long as you are obedient to your role he calls you to live in now, in this moment, he is just as happy with you as he would be if you were pasturing a church of 1000 or 2000 or more and you and this role of not having a title is just as much a significant part to his plan as anything you have done or will do. Be in the moments of now! Find your significance, satisfaction, and purpose in the now, in who you are before God, not in what you do before God.