Musings On Ministry

During the past six months I have been working in Sainsbury's Holywood Exchange, a job I enjoy, a job which God has used to show me my own failings, my own weaknesses but most of all a job that God has used to convince me that full time pastoral ministry is my calling in life.

During these six months I have had ample opportunity to teach and preach in various settings and the biggest regret I have is in not being able to give the time to God's word in order to fully do it justice. I suppose I really should have said no to some of the invitations but I guess that's just me and my desire to take every opportunity to preach.

However it has also filled me with a sense of appreciation of those who are involved in so called "tent making ministries", the desire these men have to do a full time job and then start to prepare for a sermon on Sunday just amazes me, but I suppose the question circling in my mind is, is it right? Is it right that God's word receives the last of my time after Sainsbury's and prayer meeting and so many other things that clutter up our diary? Is it right that God's word is relegated below a national retailer? I don't think it is but at the minute this is what is necessary for me. I know there are many out there who can relate to this frustration. Is it right? Ideally I think not, ideally every minister would be supported by those who he is ministering to but right now we don't live in an ideal world.

Above all these six months have strengthened my conviction that studying, preparing, meditating upon God's word is a real privilege,a real calling in life and has strengthened my resolve that this is what I want to do with my life. These six months have excited me for the prospect of college and the prospect of studying God's word in more detail. They have strengthened my resolve in the sovereign God, the Providences of life may not always fall out where we want them to but they all fall out within God's plan and for that I rejoice in the past six months and look forward God willing to the next three years preparing for a lifetime of ministry.