Sometimes the best ministry doesn't take place under a steeple. Nor does ministry always happen through a well thought-out program or during specified ministry hours. But rather, some of the best ministry happens as we go through our daily routine. It's unplanned and spontaneous. It happens in the aisles of a grocery store or in the messy kitchen because the Spirit prompted me to drop of a sanity-saving bag of chocolate, a cup of hot cocoa or a freshly-baked dessert off at someone's house. Ministry happens in the middle of the park while the kids are swinging or in the parking lot where we just put the kids in the van and gave them an iSomething to play with in order to buy us a few minutes to chat.
For those of us who have grown up in church where a program can be created for every need, it's sometimes hard to see that ministry isn't all about church. For me, it's taken the past year of being removed from formal church ministry to see what ministry is all about. Today I was reminded once again of the freedom that comes from viewing ministry as a way of life rather than something you do. And, today reminded me once again of the of the importance of being available and in the moment so God can work in His ways.
This afternoon, a woman came over to talk to us while we were browsing the aisles of a chain store. The more she talked, the more frantic I was in trying to place her, but I had no clue who she was. She mentioned that we met two summers ago at a homeschool event, and she started sharing what happened in her life since that one and only time we met. She has been through so much with health issues, personal struggles, inner turmoil and was struggling with major mama-guilt over falling behind with school and not adequately balancing life's challenges and homeschool. The more she shared, the more agitated she became and it was if a dam burst open and everything rushed out, tears and all.
The more I listened to this weary mama, the more I forgot that we were in the middle of a busy store on a holiday weekend. I also forgot that I didn't even know her, for her pain and inner turmoil were so real. What do you do in a situation like that except silently cry out to God for help, words, something?! Sometimes, "Christianese" (aka the typical things Believers say in times of turmoil in attempt to "help") holds empty meaning especially when someone needs to see God and needs what He can give over everything else (including our words). Our human vocabulary is so shallow when there is so much life-changing Scripture that we can share instead. And when the timing isn't right and our words sound like mere "Christianese", the biggest thing to do is to simply pray. In the middle of the store aisle, I uncharacteristically felt compelled to put my arm around this woman and just pray over her, her family and her homeschool.
It wasn't so much the prayer but the being in the moment to stop and listen that spoke volumes to both of us. How often do we rush through life or think because our kids are with us we can't stop long enough to say more than a quick "hi" to someone? That mom and several other moms I've encountered over the past few weeks were longing for someone to acknowledge their existence and to offer a little encouragement to help them through the day. More often than not, ministry has unexpectedly happened in store aisles or at the park or in each other's homes--places outside of the walls of the church. And in these moments, God uses the daily to display Himself and become a personal God while revealing great majesty and authority. He uses those moments to touch the broken through simple prayer. He uses those moments as reminders of grace and of an ultimate plan for our lives. He also uses those moments as windows of opportunity to plant seeds, but yet that requires an alertness and sensitivity that come from being in the moment rather than being consumed with the busyness of the moment.
Ministry doesn't have to wait for church or for church programs. There are too many people around us silently suffering that need encouragement. God has been challenging me with the idea of boldness and confidence in Him so that I may make the most of these moments and to impart His Words rather than my own. While I love praying, praying out loud is still not the most comfortable thing for me to do. My prayers are not eloquent or educated, just conversational based on my relationship with God. It's easy to let our self-consciousness keep us from being in the moment and from following that prompting of the Spirit to pray with someone in our midst.
Every day, I see more and more that life is short and uncertain. Life is hard, messy and painful. And it seems like it is in the midst of the mess where Kingdom work truly happens--in the moments that are ugly, tough and raw and that need hope and transformation. In the pain and suffering around us, we don't have time to be self-conscious about our prayers. We have the Spirit interceding on our behalf (see Romans 8:26-27). And we are commanded to come boldly in times of need (see Hebrews 4:16) just as much as we are commanded to make the most of encouraging one another while it is still called today, not tomorrow (see Hebrews 3:12-13 and I Thessalonians 5:11)!
What do we need to do in order to make sure that we are truly encouraging one another daily? There are too many other weary mamas out there that need to see Christ at this very moment and our good intentions (that usually lack follow-through), busyness, and excuses (self-consciousness, fear, etc.) keep shattering windows of opportunity to plant the eternal kind of seeds.
Hebrews 3:12-13 -- "Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
I Thessalonians 5:11 -- "Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."
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