Understanding How God Works

This last week I had the opportunity to visit a few blogs and found some that I really enjoyed. I have listed them on right if you would like to check them out. Anyway, as I read some of what God was doing at other churches I found myself becoming envious and a bit jealous. I know what your thinking, but "The Battle Within" effects me just as much as anyone else!

The main culprit of my battle with jealousy was National Community Church. The are a very exciting ministry in Washington DC. that has a lot in common with Journey . They are one church with 3 locations, one is a theater, another in a mall and the third is a church owned and operated coffeehouse.

Have you ever been frustrated with other people coming up with your ideas? There are so many times when i have an idea for a book or a new approach in ministry and then I read about those ideas in a book or come across a church like Nation Community (the latest in my long list of dream stealer's) that is implementing ideas / vision that I have shared with many people in our own ministry. As I wrestled with my feelings of frustration and jealousy I came to some profound conclusions. Maybe all these years that I have felt like others were stealing "my" dreams or implementing "my" vision for ministry wasn't meant to frustrated me but to affirm what God was trying to do!

The Lord has been working on me this last few days to help me understand what He is up to. You see, it was never really "my" dream or "my" vision to begin with. God had lead me to see what He wanted me to see, to dream, to set goals and to move forward in ministry in the direction that Jesus had set in motion. It should be no surprise that if the Lord is leading me to understand what He desires to accomplish in and through His people, that He would be leading others in the same way. It never was my vision but God's vision placed in my heart that I might lead His people in the way that He desired. What a wake up call! All this time when I was jealous or envious of what others were doing, feeling like i was three steps behind and never going to catch up, God was simply trying to affirm the vision that He had laid on my heart.

What an awesome and wonderful God we serve! He has lovingly opened my heart and mind to understand how He is working among His church, what He desires and where He is leading. I will no longer be jealous of what others are doing or whine when I see ideas, dreams and vision that He has place on my heart in the books or ministries of others. Instead, I will see that as an affirmation that we are walking in the right direction. I will use it as a catalyst to launch us forward in ministry and I will thank my God for using others to affirm the steps we are taking.

One Giant Step on the Journey,

Bob