Hitting a Brick Wall? Check Your Motivation

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Vines creeping over stone walls are romantic. They bring to mind coveted gardens, secret whispers among friends, and blooms of bright colors to ward off a gloomy day. It is a place you want to sit–for hours! The kind of brick wall I am talking about though is only nice on the outside, and I was thinking about the kind of walls we get used to banging our head against.

Ministry work can become stale. Sitting by the brick wall and doing the same thing, the same method, over and over again, makes us feel useful, but are we really making progress?

John 2:25 says, “and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” As I did some necessary work, my mind wandered to how Jesus knows our hearts better than we know our own. Intentions are good or not. Maybe we don’t even realize our intentions?

Instead of embracing a different way of doing things, we keep knocking against a brick wall. And as I folded paper, I thought, “A brick wall doesn’t yield anything. It doesn’t let you in.” 

Not without trust, I thought. A community online or face-to-face has to trust you before you can speak into that community; before they will let you be their friend or open the gate built into the wall. What works overseas will work here, too. It’s not about breaking and entering, but creating a bond.

The kind of walls that are prettiest are the ones with gates. Behind that gate is a new friend. She has the coffee in the carafe with a plate of cookies, and nothing is so pressing that we can’t sit together for a little bit and talk about life.

Maybe over time, she and I can talk about Jesus and her relationship with Him. Until then, I am thankful she opens the gate and lets me in once in while.

Meanwhile, enjoy this article from Indigitious…
I browse Facebook everyday. Recently I noticed one of my friends, Annie, a non-Christian from another country, was posting frequently about her trips to other places. Looking through the pictures, I felt like she just wasn’t happy, so I messaged her and asked how she was doing. Annie said when she read my message, she burst into tears because she felt so cared for. She was amazed I could see her unhappiness, and confessed she was facing some challenges in her marriage. We agreed to talk via FaceTime. I was able to share a biblical view of marriage, give her some tips on how to communicate with her husband, and pray with her. READ MORE