"You're not a Janitor, You're a Contractor" Love Happens

I was enjoying watching the movie "Love Happens" and this one line jumped out at me...

"You're not a janitor, you're a contractor."

A man lost everything after his son died on his construction site. He quit building and began working as a janitor. He had not allowed himself to grieve and get on with his life. He was holding onto pain and disappointment.

I immediately thought of people in ministry doing something other than what God called them to because of hurt or resentment. It was just too painful to face and deal with the issue. There are some who were in ministry, but no longer are because of what someone did, said, or didn't do. The saying, "face the pain" comes to mind. We have to face our fears, our hurts, our disappointments,in order to move past them.

Are we guilty of allowing something or someone in our life to trip us up and get us off track? Maybe someone hurt us or didn't like what we were doing so we just gave up. Just because we are hurt or disagreed with doesn't give us the right to quit and do something else, if God called us. We will never be happy doing what we are doing now because it is not what God called us to. What is important is we pray and ask God to give us wisdom and discernment on where we go from here.

It is not too late. We need to allow God to take us to the place and ministry He wants us to be in. We need to stop running and watch the power of God restore and transform us. As we do this God will be able to use us in the way He intended from the beginning. As Jeanne May has said, "Messed up? Learn the lesson but forget the details."

I am glad things "pop" or "jump" out at me when I am having fun. That's God. I am so glad He can do that and I am attentive to listen. It is my desire that this has helped you move on and forward into God's divine calling. As you go throughout your day take this scripture with you...

"You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you." (Jn. 15:16 Msg)

Who is in Your Prayer Journal?

"I'm praying for you."

When we say those words do we actually do what we say? Do we really pray for the person? We may have been honest in saying we would, but get caught up in our day to day lives we don't actually pray. We all have good intentions. I have been guilty of this myself. I have learned to keep a list of people who ask me to pray in my Bible and in my journal, so I will remember to pray.

At Easter each year I read through the account in the Gospels regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus. As I was reading this time in the book of John I noticed a prayer Jesus prayed. In Chapter 16 Jesus is telling the disciples what they would have to deal with in the future and ends with a word of encouragement. They will be "unshakable" because Jesus has "conquered the world." (The Message) We find Jesus in Chapter 17 praying for other people. We read in the other Gospels about Jesus praying "not my will but yours," but here we learn one more lesson.

When we are facing our toughest days, when it seems we are going to go under from all the stress and pressure, when we just want to give up, don't! Look at what Jesus did, knowing they were coming to arrest Him.

He prayed for us!

Take a good long look at John 17. I like reading it in the Message version. Jesus cared so much for us He prayed "not only for them but also for those who will believe in me...the goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind...so they might be one heart and mind with us."

He was on His way to being accused falsely, stripped, beaten, ridiculed and stabbed; yet He thought of you and me and taught us one more lesson...

Do not allow the circumstances in which we live...the hurt from others, the lack of love, the disappointments of our children, the lack of support from those we lead...keep us from our God given destiny. God has a plan for our lives. He will get us there and on the way we are to keep those whom our lives have touched, in the forefront of our minds and prayers. What about those who accepted Christ after hearing us preach or teach? Do we remember them in our prayers, or do we leave that for others? Pray for them daily. Don't get so caught up in ministry and our every day lives we forget the thing that matters the most...prayer. As we pray for them our lives will be touched. God will get us to where we need to be, just keep others first.

As we celebrate Christ's resurrection this year let's thank Him for what He did for us on the cross and through the resurrection, but also for what He did on the way to the cross. I pray this blesses you and I will get back to the lessons learned from Moses. Until next time be blessed.