Here’s the thing. Sometimes, I become unsatisfied with where I am. I’m unhappy with where God had placed me. I get restless. I ask God that if He wants to use me like He said He did, then why hasn’t led me to that place or that team? I complain to Him that I want to go out and proclaim His message to thousands! I wanted to be the Jackie Francois or Matt Fradd of my generation; I wanted to do BIG things!
I was frustrated. I was ungrateful. I was annoyed with God’s pace. “Here I am, Lord! Why aren’t you using me?”
And this is the moment where God takes a two-by-four and slaps me with it. In an instant during my prayer, God shut off my complaining and opened my eyes. “You are feeding my sheep. Weekly you teach them about Me and My love. Is that not big? Is that not enough? That is everything.” Wow. Stunned silence was I all could muster in that moment.
Do not write off the beautiful work God is already doing through you
But God had more to say. “Why do you cry out for more people when you do not see those starving at your feet? Why is my plan right now not enough for you? Patience. Feed my sheep.”
Oh snap. My mind was overcome with the work of God’s hands. Did He not introduce me to the people that I am now in ministry with years ago? He slowly built up our friendship and work together so that He could prepare us to go into ministry together. He surrounded us by the people and places we needed to be to get where we are today. We started a non-profit! We began over five ministries at three different parishes! Is that not big? THAT’S HUGE!
Fellow servants of the Church, I implore you to not be as foolish as myself. Do not write off the beautiful work God is already doing through you. Do not grow weary. Do not overlook those He has already brought you. In looking to the future, the desire to do great things remains. But I am not filled with anxiety about it. I am happy knowing that He has already answered my plea. He has begun his work and I am confident that He is not finished yet! I look at my life and still see His hands. I see the ministries He has allowed me to be a part of and the way that the youth come excited every week. I see our team and the staff, how our ideas for expansion and improvement are always overflowing. I see the friends He has put in my life, how they all desire to work for God and to do big things for Him. It is no accident that He has brought us all together.
He has big plans. And I remain ready. While I wait for the next big call, I will continue to do His work joyfully.
-written by Sarah Sullivan, iNFUSE (Parish) Coordinator with NET Canada