About a year ago, it was revealed to me that I would have a ministry of hope. Meaning, my blogs, my words, my books, my messages, and even my life would give and display a message of hope. I was created to be inspired and in turn, inspire someone else. I was created to give hope. I remember being criticized by someone because in their words “I only preach the good and sweet stuff.” I tried to change my message because they made me feel like I wasn’t preaching Jesus. After I had run all of my friends and family off because I was condemning people so bad, I realized that I was operating in the wrong area. I found myself beating people down with the Bible instead of empowering them to be better. I learned quickly that someone else’s message might not be my message. My message is to push and inspire. My message is to empower and reveal the good. My message is hope.
With that being said, since this was revealed to me, I’ve been tested in the area of hope. After all, who can give what they don’t have? And who can speak of what they do not know? So of course I had to be tested in this area. I’ve found myself in situations that were very hard to be hopeful. I’ve even found myself being hopeless. At that moment, I realized that my testimony and my ministry of hope would be fabricated if I didn’t know what it really feels like to have no hope.
Think about your life for a moment. Think about your strong areas. Think about the area that God uses you in most frequently. How many times have you been tested in that area? No matter if it’s a strong area or weak area, no test feels good. However, we must be tested. We must be tried and proven trust worthy in that particular area.
If I am to give hope and inspiration, I must learn how to nurture those who are hopeless and uninspired. Not only that, after the initial testing period, I can not be found without hope! I have to make sure I maintain that which I am preaching to others. So, what area do you think God is calling you to operate in? In church, we so often think that operating in gifts and calling require a microphone and a pulpit. While this may be true for some, this is not the case for all. In my case, even though I have been blessed to stand in a pulpit and use a microphone, I have learned that I have reached more people behind a keyboard than I have inside of the church. More people have been given hope from my blogs and written articles than my audible sermons, to my knowledge.
Where is God calling you? What area is He using you in? You do know that you are called to do something, right? You do know that you are still needed, right? People are waiting to be better and you can help to make that happen! Even if your gift is different from mine, it’s still important. Identify your area, pass your test, and operate as you are called to do!
