Embracing Difficulties

Earlier this year I announced that 2014 is the year  my husband and I say “Yes” to church planting. Two months into this and I am realizing that saying “yes” to God means an unspoken “no” to everything else. “NO” to…

• The smooth path
• Life as you have always known it
• Being comfortable
• Just showing up
• Low expectations
• My plan
• The easy road

Choosing to follow the Lord means that there are some things  we aren’t able to take with us. Complacency is one of them.  I don’t want to give the impression that “yes” to God means “yes” to a tumultuous life but often times God calls us and gives us a glimpse of what the final product (the vision) will be and nothing more! He doesn’t reveal what the steps are going to look like along the way, that is where faith comes in. Sometimes the terrain will be rocky/unpaved and other times it will feel as though your strolling on freshly poured cement. However it unfolds I have learned that the actual journey will in no way resemble the pretty map I have created in my mind. In the moments when I find myself doubting that I am really cut out for this whole plant thing, I remember the words of fellow blogger and church planter’s wife, Christine Hoover. Christine writes a blog to encourage wives of planters through this journey and in one post she shares these words of wisdom…

Difficulties will come. I won’t be surprised by that. Instead, I will embrace them.

Difficulties WILL come… This past Tuesday will go down in Jones family history as one of the most difficult days of all time. I say “one of” because I’m not sure what the future holds and therefore some other day could come and blow this one out of the water but for now, it is the most difficult day we have had. What started with hectic traffic delays,  ended with more chaos and the news of a tragic car accident. The news of a friend’s death hit hard and caused us to rest in the peace and strength that only God can give. In the days since my prayers to God have been for direction and comfort and each day He has answered with one word. Preparation.

As a pastor’s wife there will be times when tragedy strikes and I will have to serve out of my own hurt. Comfort others while depending on God to comfort me. Encourage others while myself needing encouragement. I will be called to serve and give selflessly while I rely on God to replenish all that I pour out. Tuesday, was a preparation for the assignment ahead. The difficulties that come shouldn’t surprise me and they shouldn’t surprise you either. Living a life that pleases the Lord is a threat to everything the enemy stands for and he will do anything in his power to throw us off our path.  Don’t let him! Embrace difficulties head on!

Use each situation as a moment to learn and grow.

I thank God for Tuesday. There are things about it that I wish never happened, events that I wish could have been avoided and phone calls I never want to make again. But it was in that moment that God birthed something in me. Something that He knows I will need somewhere along the journey. For that I am a better person.

In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world – John 16:33 (MSG)