03-08-2008, 06:56 AM
A lot of Deaf (and many hearing, mind you) people, I know, feel like failures, when a ministerial endeavor doesn't immediately bear fruit.
I would look at Peter, to refute this feeling.
Peter must have felt like the biggest failure, on earth, when he'd been told by the Master that he would deny Him three times, before the rooster crowed.
Then, just as Jesus was being questioned by Caiaphas, Peter did exactly that. Had it been me, I know I'd probably have run away and it would have taken me six or eight months to show my face again.
Then, after Jesus had risen, He asked Peter, three times..."Do you love Me?" and, every time, when Peter replied yes, Jesus told Peter to feed the sheep.
The lesson, here, is that Jesus, not only allowed Peter to replace his denial with love, but also let Peter know he still had a place of service in Christ's Kingdom.
Deaf ministries aren't the only ones that fail. Many other ministries also fail but without as many people expecting them to fail, which means a Deaf ministry, dying, will become open news in a short time.
Then, too, if the Deaf ministry is run by a Deaf person, the entire world - hearing AND Deaf - are watching.
In my experience, everytime something has ended, the Holy Spirit has brought a new endeavor. Even when He moved me from a Deaf ministry to become Assistant Pastor in a hearing church.
The thing is, one door closes and if another isn't immediately wating, I can assure you a window is ready for you to slide through.
It may not be a "big" as the former positoin but the Holy Spirit will be giving you something to do, while He arranges something else for your service.
Father, I pray for anyone, reading this, who may feel, as Peter felt...a failure. I pray, Lord, that You will allow the "God of all Comfort" to be with them because I've learned that the Greek for comfort means encourage and You are the One, we should seek for encouragement, as we seek to serve Your Kingdom.
In Christ's Name. Amen.
I would look at Peter, to refute this feeling.
Peter must have felt like the biggest failure, on earth, when he'd been told by the Master that he would deny Him three times, before the rooster crowed.
Then, just as Jesus was being questioned by Caiaphas, Peter did exactly that. Had it been me, I know I'd probably have run away and it would have taken me six or eight months to show my face again.
Then, after Jesus had risen, He asked Peter, three times..."Do you love Me?" and, every time, when Peter replied yes, Jesus told Peter to feed the sheep.
The lesson, here, is that Jesus, not only allowed Peter to replace his denial with love, but also let Peter know he still had a place of service in Christ's Kingdom.
Deaf ministries aren't the only ones that fail. Many other ministries also fail but without as many people expecting them to fail, which means a Deaf ministry, dying, will become open news in a short time.
Then, too, if the Deaf ministry is run by a Deaf person, the entire world - hearing AND Deaf - are watching.
In my experience, everytime something has ended, the Holy Spirit has brought a new endeavor. Even when He moved me from a Deaf ministry to become Assistant Pastor in a hearing church.
The thing is, one door closes and if another isn't immediately wating, I can assure you a window is ready for you to slide through.
It may not be a "big" as the former positoin but the Holy Spirit will be giving you something to do, while He arranges something else for your service.
Father, I pray for anyone, reading this, who may feel, as Peter felt...a failure. I pray, Lord, that You will allow the "God of all Comfort" to be with them because I've learned that the Greek for comfort means encourage and You are the One, we should seek for encouragement, as we seek to serve Your Kingdom.
In Christ's Name. Amen.