BY: JEFFREY SYPOLE
“He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” ~ Psalm 25:9
I remember once I was praying for the Lord to move mightily in my ministry. I had asked, fasted, and prayed. I had probably begged a little and foamed at the mouth too, but none of it hurried the plan of God in my life. After many days of absolute silence, He finally sent me a little answer. The Lord answered my prayer by saying, “You are concerned about building a ministry, but I am concerned about building a man.” He concluded by mentioning this warning, which has echoed in my ears all of my life. He said, “Woe unto the man whose ministry becomes bigger than he is!” Since then, I have concerned myself with praying for the minister and not the ministry. I realized that if the house outgrows the foundation, gradually the foundation will crack, the walls will collapse, and great will be the fall of it!
No matter what you are trying to build, whether it is a business, a ministry, or a relationship, give it time to grow. Some of the best friendships start out gradually. Some of the strongest Christians once desperately needed prayer for their weakness. I am still amazed at who I am becoming, as I put my life daily into His hands. He is changing me. He’s not finished. There is so much more that needs to be done. Every day I see more immaturity in me. But what a sharp contrast I am now to what I was!
Humility is a necessity when you know that every accomplishment had to be the result of the wise Master Builder who knows when to do what. He knew when I needed friends. He knew when I needed to sit silently in the night, wrap my arms around my limitations, and whisper a soft request for help into the abyss of my pain. He is the One who rolls back the clouds on the storms and orders the rain to stop. Oh, how I trust Him more dearly and more nearly than I have ever trusted Him before! He is too wise to make a mistake!
My brothers and sisters know that God is continuing His work in you. He’s not finished. He is ever so committed to making you into a person that will reflect His glory. He wants you to become His masterpiece. He wants you to bask in His light and be the best you can be. Trust Him! For the sake of the church and the world, let’s not be so concerned with our ministry, but be more concerned about building our individual character and faith and praying for one another. The ministry will take care of itself.
