Not Easily Defeated
Let's face the truth. We human beings are emotional creatures and even the smallest thing that happens in our life can disappoint, discourage or anger us. Even if you are a spiritual giant, there're bound to be times in your life when you feel like giving up or stop serving altogether.
It's absolutely untrue that pastors, cell group leaders or even helpers should never feel down emotionally because they're supposed to be spiritually mature enough. Because we are still humans afterall. But what marks your maturity as a Christian is in the way you choose to handle those moments of down.
I believe with all my heart that even when I am facing difficulties in my life and feeling emotionally defeated or drained, I still must continue serving God. Simply because serving God is a calling. It's not something I do because I am free, feel like it or has nothing better to do.
We're all soldiers in the kingdom of God. Can you imagine if every soldier stops fighting whenever he feels discouraged? The kingdom will be in danger!
And I do know, since I am a human being myself, that whenever things don't go too well, we just don't feel like serving God anymore. Especially for a minstry where we need to counsel people and encourage others, it becomes doubly difficult. When I am feeling low myself, I still need to encourage and edify someone else, telling them everything that I need to hear for myself. How difficult is that?
Yet, that is really the essence of a sacrifice of praise. Even when i don't feel like it, I CHOOSE to praise God. I CHOOSE to continue serving God. I don't stop for even a while just to get my composure back. I don't stop even for a second to get my mood right. I simply don't stop because I know the moment I do, I will find it even harder to bounce back. If the devil knows discouragements and disappointments can hinder you or stop you even for a while, you can be sure LOTS MORE discouragements and disappointments will be waiting for you in the road ahead. Why let him get his way?
A friend told me that she felt very low last week so she did not serve in her ministry. But she made a decision not to continue dwelling in that lowness and this week, she's back in her ministry. I think that's great. To me, it shows the maturity of the person. She used to be someone who can allow herself to be immersed in her lowness for a very long time, but today she can make the decision to pick herself up within a week. That's a vast improvement in my opinion. We don't become perfect overnight. But such small steps move us closer to who God really wants us to be.
We're soldiers who are not easily defeated.
Let's face the truth. We human beings are emotional creatures and even the smallest thing that happens in our life can disappoint, discourage or anger us. Even if you are a spiritual giant, there're bound to be times in your life when you feel like giving up or stop serving altogether.
It's absolutely untrue that pastors, cell group leaders or even helpers should never feel down emotionally because they're supposed to be spiritually mature enough. Because we are still humans afterall. But what marks your maturity as a Christian is in the way you choose to handle those moments of down.
I believe with all my heart that even when I am facing difficulties in my life and feeling emotionally defeated or drained, I still must continue serving God. Simply because serving God is a calling. It's not something I do because I am free, feel like it or has nothing better to do.
We're all soldiers in the kingdom of God. Can you imagine if every soldier stops fighting whenever he feels discouraged? The kingdom will be in danger!
And I do know, since I am a human being myself, that whenever things don't go too well, we just don't feel like serving God anymore. Especially for a minstry where we need to counsel people and encourage others, it becomes doubly difficult. When I am feeling low myself, I still need to encourage and edify someone else, telling them everything that I need to hear for myself. How difficult is that?
Yet, that is really the essence of a sacrifice of praise. Even when i don't feel like it, I CHOOSE to praise God. I CHOOSE to continue serving God. I don't stop for even a while just to get my composure back. I don't stop even for a second to get my mood right. I simply don't stop because I know the moment I do, I will find it even harder to bounce back. If the devil knows discouragements and disappointments can hinder you or stop you even for a while, you can be sure LOTS MORE discouragements and disappointments will be waiting for you in the road ahead. Why let him get his way?
A friend told me that she felt very low last week so she did not serve in her ministry. But she made a decision not to continue dwelling in that lowness and this week, she's back in her ministry. I think that's great. To me, it shows the maturity of the person. She used to be someone who can allow herself to be immersed in her lowness for a very long time, but today she can make the decision to pick herself up within a week. That's a vast improvement in my opinion. We don't become perfect overnight. But such small steps move us closer to who God really wants us to be.
We're soldiers who are not easily defeated.
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