The ministry world can be difficult
Sure living in a 3rd world country with only a backpack of belongings is difficult
Sure sleeping on a sleeping pad in a small room with 5 others and only 2 rotating fans is difficult
Sure eating rice, noodles and other carbs for the majority of meals is difficult
But what is most difficult is struggling with worldly issues while participating in the spiritual world
We are no longer envying others cars, houses, and material belongings, but comparing our spiritual gifts to others
We aren’t competing to get to the top of the economic ladder but instead stressing about if we are doing enough ministry because no matter what we do it never seems like enough
We aren’t in the midst of our families but learning how to surrender our families to the Lord while we are away and realizing their lives don’t stop just because we are gone
I was dealing with the first of these issues earlier last week
Comparison
God, how in the world do I navigate comparison in the spiritual realm?
My heart’s intentions are pure and my motives are right
You tell me to desire spiritual gifts, but how do I not let that turn into comparison?
How do I not let this pure desire be taken by Satan, shifted by 1 degree and turned into envy?
How do I desire to grow but not see myself as ‘not good enough’?
Then I looked at the front of the journal my sister gave me for my birthday
The first line says, “All that is gold does not glitter”
And God helped me understand
James 1:17
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
EVERY good and perfect gift is from above…
Not just the ones that are glittery and shiny and exciting
Miraculous healings, people getting raised from the dead, tongues, prophesy, visions
All of these are gold
Joy, peace, patience, service, humility, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness
These are also gold
They may not seem extravagant and exciting and shiny and appealing to the eye but they are gold
They are just as miraculous
The Lord sees them just as important and valuable and cherished
1 Corinthians 12:4
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”
We are the body of Christ and we all bring different gifts to the table
1 Corinthians 12:12,18-20
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ…But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”
We all have miraculous gifts and talents that God himself placed inside of us according to His good will and purpose
We are not too far behind, trying to play catch up
We are exactly where He wants us to be, going the exact pace He wants us to go
Our gifts are not insignificant to those around us
We have a piece of the Lord’s heart that He has designed specifically for us to carry and give away to others in this specific season
We are a part of the body of Christ and the Lord desires that we walk in the gifts He has given us to bring completion and fullness
The shininess of gold does not negate it from being gold
All that is gold does not glitter
You and your gifts are GOLD
