Life Update: Not Yet Ready

Well, Wednesday morning I went to meet with the Baptist General Conference’s Ministerial Guidance Committee. I had presented them with my Testimony & Call to Ministry, My Statement of Faith and my Statement of Pastoral Ministry. Though I thought I had prepared the documents in accordance with their standards, they were quick to point out that I still needed to do some major re-workings of them before I would be ready to go before my church’s Ordination Council. They also suggested I brush up on my theological terminology so I could be clear on the difference between certain terms like Illumination, Inspiration and Authority. The end result was that they said they would send a letter to my Associate Pastor detailing the areas of my papers and preparation that still needed work and once I had implemented their suggestions, then I could come back again. I let him know this and it looks like we will be meeting next week to discuss our next steps.

As one might imagine, I found this to be a bit disappointing and frustrating. Now I have to go back and re-work these papers yet again and do some more personal preparation all while still juggling two jobs and trying to be an active member at Calvary. It’s times like this when I find myself reminded of Paul’s encouragement to his struggling churches in Corinth :

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken. "With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.(2 Corinthians 4:7-18)

Though I may struggle at times to understand what God is doing in certain circumstances, this passage helps remind me that through it all He is with me. Through it all, He is refining me and helping me to be more and more the servant of His that He desires me to be. He is working in all of this to draw me closer to Himself and make me more like His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your prayers. Keep them coming. Pray that I will continue to be encouraged and God’s peace will continue to be with me as I continue to work towards becoming a full-time chaplain, if that is His will for me. If not, pray that would also become clear. Pray also for all those I visit while working as a chaplain, that they would see God at work in and through me and be drawn closer to Him as a result. Pray the same for those I work with as Personal Care Attendant. In all that I do, Lord Jesus, I pray it is as unto You.

I will keep you updated as things progress. I pray all is well with each of you and that God continues to draw you closer to Him each day and form you more and more into the men and woman He desires you to be. Men and women like Christ.