Tomorrow it will be yesterday’s problem
For the past several years, Steve and I have felt the call of God on our lives for ministry. We have pastored, assisted in various ministries and attempted to build two churches. Ministry can be the most wonderfully, frustrating challenge you will ever face and starting a work with just 2 faithful people has to be number one on the list. For the last 5 years, we have had successes and less than successes. Just when it seemed a breakthrough was on the horizon, our faith would once again be tested. In the last 6 months, we seemed to be gaining ground; we were rejoicing over one baptism and excited to see the spiritual growth taking place. God decided about a month ago that it was time for another test. Three of our most faithful members felt God leading them in another direction. A church of a hundred may not feel the loss of 3 people too deeply, while a church of 50 may feel the sting, but when you have 10 parishioners, it can be devastating.
I thank God for a spiritually strong husband. While I was crying and asking God why and where do we go from here, Steve was praying that God would restore what we had lost 10 fold. My first remark was, “You do realize that will be 30 people?” His answer, “Praise God.” I decided right then and there that I am not going to be left out of this blessing that God is about to pour out on Redemption Ministries. I made up my mind to agree with Steve and let God show His greatness. In the last 3 weeks, we have had 5 new visitors, only 25 to go. God has been speaking new ideas and a new vision into our heart. I still have fleeting thoughts of yesterday but I am now able to pray God’s blessing on those who left and look with excitement every day to what God is doing and will do tomorrow. God will build an Apostolic Church in Saginaw, Michigan.
Several years ago, I sang with the Jr. High School Girls’ Chorus. I was introduced to a whole new genre of music. This little Pentecostal girl used to hear southern gospel had never heard of Broadway show tunes and knew very little about a group called The Beatles. To this day I can still remember the songs and their words. One of the songs was Yesterday by Paul McCartney. The song begins, “Yesterday, all my troubles seem so far away, now it looks as though they’re here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday.” I find most of the Beatles lyrics to be anti-biblical, yet if I allow it, I find myself applying the song to my situation.
In Philippians 3:14, it’s the Apostle Paul not Paul McCartney who writes so eloquently of where our yesterdays belong, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Yesterday can teach us valuable lessons and hold wonderful memories of God’s blessings but they are not the complete picture of God’s plan. The High Calling of God in Christ Jesus promises a prize if we will just press on. It may look like trouble is “here to stay” but if we keep our eye on the prize, tomorrow, the trouble will be yesterday’s problem.
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