I was saved 25 years ago. Right after I was saved people began to tell me that I had an amazing call on my life. They would say all these wonderful things. I loved it because I wanted God to use me so badly.
But, it would be many many years later before I was able to actually get up and speak in church. That was wisdom and I’ve learned many things, by waiting on God:
You have to be healed before you can be used. Hurting people hurt people. You need that time for God to make you whole before He can send you. For me, it took years and years. And I’m still going through healing…
Guess it never really stops.
The key to healing is humility. Don’t think you don’t need healing because I haven’t met one single person that didn’t. I think about a pot or vessel with a tiny fissure…how it can crack under pressure. The vessel needs to be strong and whole to carry the glory.
Develop good character, with the fruit of the Spirit displaying in your life. David after he was anointed king was chased by Saul and David had opportunity to kill Saul but he wouldn’t even touch him. David had the character of a King. Do what you say you’re going to do. Be faithful when no one’s looking. Do things because it’s the right thing to do not to be seen by men.
Learn to weather the storms. Being in ministry is extremely testing. You have to be nice when you don’t feel like it. You have to be gracious to people who aren’t very gracious to you. Before God promotes you he will humble you. And for me…when he did, I just wanted to die, because it was that hard. But you need to know how to rest in the storms and have faith to make it through the winter seasons.
You need time to study the word. You need the faith that comes from hearing the word. You need discernment because you become a bigger target. You should study to show yourself approved. I go places now and I speak…often times I’m thinking I wish I knew the word better so I could just quote scriptures and their addresses.
You need times of testing to grow in your grace. I love how David said he couldn’t wear Saul’s armor because he hadn’t tested it. There’s a season of testing that which you were called to. I remember casting demons out of people in my kitchen or at work. I remember God having me stop and prophesy to people in the grocery store or walking at the park. I led so many people around me to Christ. I was even told if I said Jesus again at a job I would be fired. I quit that stupid job. I was doing what was in my hand to do but I wasn’t trying to overstep my bounds… Or my sphere of authority. I also started painting after I was saved because I had a desire to do it even though I’ve never done it before in my life. God would bring people to me and they would ask me to do commission paintings for them even though I never had any classes.
You have to learn to wear your armor. When God would use me to do something miraculous, people would come against me like crazy. Especially the religious. In the 25 years God prepared me I learned not to let it hurt me. I learned to not take it personally. To just see that it was the dark spiritual realm coming against me through people who had not been made clean. Some of the worst attacks came through people that God had used me to deliver. I’ve had my hand bitten by so many people that I tried to love. But you just learn to pull the snake off your hand, wipe the dirt off your feet and move on.
When God did ask me to serve him, I cried and I argued with Him, because in the 25 years I went through so much heart ache… I really didn’t want to go through more pain. People misjudge you, they compete with you, they attack you, they are rude, hateful…. They will suck the life and nice right out of you…
The biggest fear for me was I wouldn’t have enough love…. I constantly feel inadequate in this area.
So I’m just saying this to encourage you to wait on God to send you. Don’t be in a huge hurry. Do what’s in your hand to do. Use your time of preparation to really get ready.
When God does promote someone around you…be encouraging to them. Don’t be a Saul to a David. Don’t take it personally that you were not chosen. Don’t think that their promotion has anything to do with them… Instead look at yourself and see what ways you can improve as a servant of God.
If it was God then it wasn’t their choice, trust me.
if it wasn’t God they won’t have a healthy ministry and it won’t last anyway.
Eyes2See 