J9's Property

Well, that's what they've named my testimony this Sunday, anyway. I've been asked, as a representative from the songsters, to give my testimony about what I learned during the 40 days of Purpose.

I guess you could call this a trial run...

It would take me way too long to talk about everything I learned over the 4 weeks, so I'll just talk about the 2 main lessons that had their greatest impact on me.

The first lesson is that I am uniquely made with a specific ministry in mind. We are all made in a certain shape, with an individual personality, specific abilities, and given special gifts, which all equip us to serve God in the ministry he chose for us.

I have a very bad habit of constantly comparing myself to other people. I will often look at someone and think to myself, 'I really wish I had their ability'; 'I wish I had that personality trait'; 'I wish I could do what they do.' It's a trap: if we all had each other's gifts, abilities, and traits, then as Rick says, certain things wouldn't get done!

It's like a foot wishing it was a hand. If the foot was a hand, it wouldn't be able to do the job a foot is supposed to do, and the person would fall over. It's the same with us. We have a special place in God's family, and we have been designated for that ministry since before we were born. I need to accept my abilities and my limitations, and strive to grow into the person God made me to be, so I can do the job God created me to do.

Rick Warren had a really good suggestion for discovering just what our intended ministry is: try different things! Many people have no idea what their special place in God's family is. The mistake is to sit in a pew, and assume that you don't have a ministry. Instead, Rick suggests that you try out different ministries that interest you, until you find the one that fits you. If you find out you're not suited to a certain area of ministry, don't get discouraged; chalk it up to experience, and try something else.

Now, that's not to say that we can use the line "this is the way God made me" to justify poor behaviour. We still need to strive to become the person God intended us to be. And to do that, there is one person whom we must try to emulate: Christ. Just because you have certain personality traits that aren't all that positive, doesn't mean you should let them all hang out, especially when it is counter-productive to your ministry. God continually gives us opportunities to develop our character, so we can grow into the person He envisioned when He created us.

That's the second lesson that really stuck with me: God uses all kinds of experiences to mold us. I don't think there's a single person in my church who has not gone through a time of physical or emotional pain, or intense temptation. The important thing to remember is, "all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose."

I think everyone has asked the question, "why do bad things happen to good people?" Rick has a great answer for this: "God's not concerned about our comfort, He's concerned about our character!" I've experienced this first hand, and even during the 40 Days. When we met for study time on Thursday nights, we would spend the first part of the evening watching a video of Rick Warren. We would then break into small groups for discussion and prayer. The tricky part about the small group time, was that the groups were chosen entirely at random. We had no idea who was going to be in our group, until we actually met together for the first time.

Now, anyone who knows me, will know that I am your classic, stereotypical, shy, introvert. I don't feel very comfortable around people I don't know, and I tend to simply ignore them out of a total lack of knowledge of what to do! So, when I'm thrust into a group of people I don't know very well, or just plain don't like very much, it's very difficult for me to focus on what we're supposed to be doing. But, God's not concerned about my comfort; He's concerned about my character! So I decided I was going to learn from the experience, and keep my thoughts focussed on the discussion at hand, and not let my negative feelings get in the way. It was a challenge, I can tell you that!

One great suggestion Rick had was the concept of a Spiritual Journal, where one would record the experiences they have gone through, and the lessons learned through those experiences. Rick's comment was, "a lesson forgotten is an experience wasted." If God's going to allow you to go through a difficult experience for the purpose of teaching you a lesson, or developing a character trait, wouldn't it be horrible to realize that you've forgotten what you were supposed to learn? You would have gone through all that pain and angst for nothing! I took a lot of history courses in university, and one truth was demonstrated over and over again: those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

What I can tell you for sure, is that I am continuing to go through difficulties and uncomfortable situations. I know I have a lot to learn, and I hope I can always remember what I've been taught in the past. I have important lessons to learn, because these lessons will equip me to fulfill the purpose God has for my life: to worship Him, to fellowship with other believers, to grow in Him, to serve in ministry, and to spread His gospel. I know I have a long way to go yet, before I begin to resemble the person God made me to be, but I firmly believe that He who began a good work in me, will carry it on to completion!