Beyond Stupidity and Fulfilling the Call

I had a conversation recently with a friend who works alongside physically challenged people in Florida. He told me about one man who had cerebral palsy, and when asked if he prayed, he responded, "you mean God talk?"

Yes, my friend responded, "do you ever pray?" "Yes" the man said, "all the time."  My friend was curious about what he prayed about, and asked him.  The reply, "I complain a lot."  After a short laughter from the two of them, my friend asked him, "does God ever answer you?"  The man said "yes all the time, He tells me not to complain so much." 

Great story that illustrates the need to go beyond what the circumstances may be at the present time and get to the place where we can allow God to do the work in our lives.  In some way we all have a type of spiritual cerebral palsy, where we face some great challenges. Those challenges can keep us in paths of being judgmental, prideful, unforgiving, and bitter.  I battle with disappointment all the time.  First in my own life as a Christian, and then with Christians who have no tolerance for anyone else but themselves.  Recently, I had an angry flare up because of the arrogance of a fellowship kingdom person and I was complaining to another friend.  His response, "you knew that before you signed up."  (it was his version of, 'don't complain so much) But he is right, going beyond the stupidity to the call is not just about doing the work of the Lord, it's dealing with other laborers in the same field. A huge part of this process of doing God's work and crossing the finish line for the trophy of, "well done thou good and faithful servant," has to do with dealing with the stupidity of others.  Too blunt for you?  I have been told the two reasons missionaries come home from the field is money, and the inability to get along with other Christians.  

Too often the pastorate draws people who feel the call of God, and within the first several years they are out of the ministry. Take note of the following:

• Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.

• Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.

• Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.

• Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

• Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years. Ninety percent of pastors said their seminary or Bible school training did only a fair to poor job preparing them for ministry.

• Eighty-five percent of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people, such as disgruntled elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors. Ninety percent said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people.

• Ninety percent said the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be before they entered the ministry.

• Seventy percent felt God called them to pastoral ministry before their ministry began, but after three years of ministry, only fifty percent still felt called.

So what's my point? The call is tough, but we must stop complaining about the stupidity of people, and get on with the call. Every pastor/Christian leader, parishioner has to learn how to protect themselves against the issues that drive them away from doing what God has called them to do. Stop being that person everyone loves and likes, and starting being the person God has called you to be, "a person who speaks God's word, and does God's work in a field of stupidity."   

My friends story from my opening remarks is so true..............

Just keeping it honest and truthful.....K