Has an Obstacle Blocked Your Ministry Goal?
My older son is getting married this year, so I decided to use this celebration as motivation to shed the fifteen extra pounds I’ve been carrying. I put some of my other responsibilities on the back-burner to allow time for working out at the gym, determined to lose the weight before the wedding.
Until I ran into an obstacle.
I tore my ACL. I won’t even tell you how I did it because it’s so silly. Disappointment, regret, and pain washed over me. I wanted to sit on the couch eating chocolate and feeling sorry for myself. Okay, maybe that’s what I did for a few days.
What about you? Any obstacles in your life?
Think about your writing and speaking dreams. Has an obstacle prevented you from moving forward toward your ministry goal?
Maybe you can relate to one of these setbacks:
- Your manuscript was rejected by publishers, so you’ve put it in a drawer and haven’t written anything since then.
- Speaking doors are not opening, or opportunities are coming slowly.
- You look at your sprinkling of blog or social media followers and despair that no one seems to be reading what you spent so many hours crafting.
- Your last speaking engagement didn’t go so well and now you’re questioning your calling.
- You can rarely find time to write or to prepare for speaking engagements.
Something else? How have you responded to the obstacle?
After a couple of days of wallowing, I knew I could choose a different response. Instead of allowing the torn ACL to deter me from my goal of being 15 pounds skinnier, I decided to let this obstacle be the impetus for becoming healthier and fitter than ever.
Through physical therapy, I learned the exercises I could still perform with my injury, and I went to the gym and did those. Every day. Faithfully. Consistently.
No, I couldn’t do the harder classes or run on the treadmill, as I had planned to do. But I could do something.
And you know what? My legs are stronger. And I’ve even lost a little weight.
So back to those derailed dreams. If an obstacle derailed you, it doesn’t have to continue to keep you from moving forward. Maybe today is the day to dust off your dreams. Take them out of the drawer. Allow your heart to soar a bit. Present your dreams to the Lord and see where He takes you.
Find encouragement and motivation in these verses to push through the obstacles keeping you from your ministry goals.
Psalm 18:19, “He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.”
Psalm 21:2, “You have given him his heart’s desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips.”
Psalm 21:7, “For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.”
If you want to share your name and the obstacle you’re facing or just share your name, I’d love to pray for you. I’ll be praying for you to find hope and determination to push through the obstacle to move forward with your ministry dreams.
You can do this!
~ Melanie
What a perfectly timed email! I’ve been questioning my calling because my last two engagements didn’t go as well I’d have liked, in part because prep time is hard to come by. I’m leading my first retreat the weekend after Easter and I’m begging the Lord to show up and lead me as I lead those women. I appreciate your prayers.
Hi Ashley, Writing was always my love, but not so much speaking. But I knew I was called to it for a season! I can honestly say that it got better with each experience. I always prayed and will pray for your retreat, Less of me; more of Him. The best focus for me was service. I was serving the women, and if I focused on that, things went better.
Thank you for this amazing truth.
I have done the course with Flourish Writer in writing my devotional. I realized it is my book I need to write and I started to re write my story.
– my life threaten accidents that left me with a head injury..
– my realization of knowing my Lord personally
—Finding out that my husband had as 9 year old daughter that he never knew about
-my own daughter having a learning disability
— my brother in law drowning and never finding his body
– Separation and divorce from my husband…….
Sadly, my daughter, now 25 years old, has just attempted suicide twice. (Two years apart) she has her B.A. in Psychology, her Masters in Educational Counselling and started her Social Work degree. Which she could not finish at this time. waiting now to go into a Mental Health Centre.
I have given her back to God after her first attempted and I truly believe it is my prayers, my faith and trust in God that has kept her from succeeding.
Yes, I have been putting my book on hold for a few months now but I truly believe God is working in and through me to broaden my awareness.
I still does my devotions, read His word, and even hold a bible Study at my home once a week. So I know God is very present.
Thanks again.
Sandy
Thank you, Sandy, for sharing honestly. I will pray for you today to move forward as God leads. Even if it’s a little bit at a time. You are doing the most important thing – sitting at His feet.
Thanks for this, Melanie! Such a good reminder to continue forward one step at a time, even circumstances get in the way.
My obstacle is doubt. I have a fair amount of face-to-face ministry that seems to make a difference. It is difficult for me to justify dedicating further time to writing when the results don’t seem to be there.
Wow Sue. My husband and I were just talking about public vs. private ministry – in other words, our day-to-day ministry vs. getting published. I understand. But I believe strongly in the in-person ministry. I will pray for your discernment.
Thank you, Melanie. Your words are heaven-sent 😉 Yes, I am struggling…but still progressing. That timeline of God is quite the challenge to one who chomps at the bit to meet a goal. Your prayers are welcome, friend. Praying for you, too!
Hi Charla, So good to hear from you! A long obedience, right? Prayers today! Melanie
One more thing Charla. I have a blog in process on public vs. private ministry. I know how you have faithfully served privately – in everyday life. The Lord sees you and none of that is wasted.
I felt like this was just for me. FEAR has derailed me. I am moving forward just not as quickly as I would like. Thank you for your honesty!
When I first began in ministry, I can’t even tell you how scared I was. I battled through the lie of fear – and it’s a big obstacle. But fifteen years later I can honestly say I’m in a much fearless state. That’s what I’ll pray for you.
Thank you so much for this post. It was perfectly timed for some frustrations I have been facing with my ministry. Several years ago I thought I would be at a place by now to help supplement my family’s income but that hasn’t happened yet. I’m trusting God’s timing but sometimes it’s difficult.
Mary, I will pray for you today to continue to pray for you. I can tell you that I, too, understand how frustrating delays and how different God’s timing can be. I had a big delay – I was writing my second book when my husband and I decided to open a business. It ended up being so time consuming that I had to step away from ministry. I never thought I’d be able to return to ministry. But I did! So you never know what God will do. But he is doing something! I’ll pray for you to stay true to your calling!
hi Mary — I so relate to your comment… Just wanted to let you know I checked out your blog. It’s well done! I started following you on Instagram! Be encouraged! 🙂
My name’s Monica, and my obstacle is me. Dad died almost 8 years ago and I stopped writing. The desire to speak and write still strongly tugs at my heart. But now I judge my writing harshly. Even in my personal journal. It’s crazy. Trying to get it back. Praying to get it back.
Monica, I will pray for you to have renewed God-confidence. I think if we really enjoy something and we’re walking with God, we can trust that we are obeying Him. I will pray for you not to be so hard on yourself! I was talking to my brother, a fiction writer, and he said sometimes we have to just “write bad.” So just write! And eventually we’ll get to a good place. Don’t let the enemy stop you!
Thank you, Melanie, for these timely and encouraging words. I have been consistently blogging for the last two years, investing in online courses to learn best practices for marketing, and so much more, yet my platform and email list have barely budged. Like one of your earlier commenters, I have longed to contribute to our family’s income, but so far God has not opened those doors yet. And last night after one of the Bible classes I teach finished, one of the members came up to me with a very valid, but a hard-to-hear critique of how I handled a sensitive issue many people are facing today. So I was having a bit of a pity party this morning and your post lifted my heart. I know God is in control and He’s confirmed what He’s calling me to do, but sometimes the race is oh-so-hard to run with confidence and joy. Blessings to you on your son’s upcoming wedding! You picked a great analogy to use!
Hi Kim,
Thank you for the good wishes! First, I think it’s great you’re teaching Bible study. I think that kind of “at-home” ministry is so important and adds depth to our more public ministry. And critiques are hard. Take the feedback you got to the Lord and sift it with Him. It truly is a long race. Both Amy and I have been in ministry a long time, so we understand how the journey can sometimes seem just long, not fruitful. Know I prayed for you today, to continue in joy and to have open doors to contribute to family income.