Deutero Q

I have been thinking about the Christian ministry this past week, especially on two points. First, I recognize the temptation to want to serve the Lord in comfortable settings, places immune from suffering, strife and difficulty. And yet, I note from 1 Corinthians 16:8 that Paul decided to minister in Ephesus because God opened a door for him, despite many who opposed him. That really stands out to me (not that I face much opposition in my current pastorate!).

Paul did not flee hardship; he recognized it was part of the ministry. Again, there is always the temptation to seek out the easy road in life. None of us goes looking for hardship, yet it is clear from the Bible that the Christian life is far from easy. The same can be said for Christian ministry; there is no shortage of difficult people and difficult circumstances.

Which leads to the second thought. I was reminded this past week that soon after Jesus was baptized, having heard His Father's affirming words ("This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased"), Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty intense days of hardship. He was led by the Spirit! That surely flies in the face of the self-centered, feel-good Christian teaching, preaching and literature so prevalent these days. There is no shortage of sermons and books of the "Three Steps to Christian Happiness" or "Money, Come to Me" variety.

The life of Christian discipleship and service is a difficult one, full of challenges and hardships. In fact, at the heart of discipleship is the call to deny oneself, take up one's cross and follow Jesus ... wherever He may lead. And following Jesus may well lead to some dark nights of the soul, including persecution and suffering. The Apostle Paul knew that. Those of us who follow Christ and serve Him would do well to remember that, too. Importantly, it is during the dark nights of the soul and difficult times in life that maturity and true spiritual growth occurs.

Although I don't entirely agree with his words, the following lines from one of William Blake's poems come to mind: "Joy and woe are woven fine, a clothing for the soul divine; under every grief and pine, runs a joy with silken twine. It is right, it should be so, man was made for joy and woe. And when this we rightly know, through the world we safely go."