A legendary story is told of a rich man who came to visit a cathedral while it was being built and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.”
And the workman replied, 'Because God sees it.'
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There are times in ministry when you wonder whether anything you are doing is making a difference in people's lives and you wonder whether anyone really sees what you are doing. Sometimes, it is just so hard. Sometimes, it is just so discouraging. The long, and sometimes lonely, hours that are necessary to prepare; the pressure of everyone expecting you to "hit a home run" every time you come up to the batter’s box.
There are those days and nights that you spend at the hospital ministering to both the physical and spiritual needs of those who are hurting. There are the countless numbers of hours spent counseling, trying to come up with answers to help those who are hurting emotionally and spiritually.
Then, there are all of the meetings, the weekly visitation of visitors to your church, and on top of all that, you are expected to minister to those in your community who don't go to your church but go to another church or they don't even go to church at all.
There are those occasions when you have to neglect your own family for critical needs of people in your ministry, when you just couldn't say "no" to someone who needed your counsel and support.
And, it’s entirely possible that you haven't seen your ministry grow in years. You know you are working hard, maybe harder than you have ever worked before. Yet, no results. Nothing! You wonder at times if it is worth it all. Again, you wonder whether anyone really sees what you are doing and would anyone even notice if you just stopped……
And, sometimes, it even feels like you are invisible to God.
You cry out, "God, what is wrong? What is wrong with my ministry? What is wrong with me? God, what is wrong with You? Can't you see that my heart is breaking over the spiritual condition of those I minister to? I keep investing my life in their emotional and spiritual needs. But, nothing ever changes! No one even says, ‘Thank you for your hard work and dedication.’ No one says, ‘Thank you for your many hours of sacrifice to help us in our walk with God.’"
Perhaps you have even said, "God, if something doesn't change in my ministry, I'm just gonna quit! I can't take it anymore. Nothing I do seems to make a difference. Does anybody really care about what I am doing? Does anybody really care about the things of God? It seems at times as though the only thing that matters to people is their physical needs and wants. Why aren’t they concerned about the spiritual needs in their lives?"
“If only someone would help me understand!”
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To: Discouraged
From: God
Dear Precious Saint,
I wanted to write you a letter to let you know that I understand everything you are going through. I know the way is hard sometimes and I know that it can be frustrating dealing with My precious flock of sheep. But, I have been listening to your crying each night. I even noticed the other day when you got mad at Me and that’s alright. I can handle it and I don't ever hold things like that against you.
You are my special child and I love you so much. You are always on My mind and you are always at the center of My attention. Nothing that ever happens to you goes unnoticed by Me. I planned out your life before you were ever formed in your sweet mother's womb and I was so excited on the day that you were born. Because of My plan for your life, I had been counting the days when you would one day join Me in assisting in the work of My kingdom.
I decided that I needed you to be a shepherd to some of My sheep. But, sheep can be frustrating to work with sometimes. They are so helpless. They don't know where to go and they don't know what to do. That is why they need a shepherd and that is why they need you and that is why I need you.
I wanted you to know that you are part of a great and glorious work in My kingdom. You are kind of like that workman who takes part in building a cathedral: diligently and invisibly working on all of the details. The workman will go unnoticed but when the cathedral is completed, many will stand in awe of the beauty of that splendid structure.
And, so it is with My kingdom. You must be diligent in your work though at times you will feel like you are invisible to the world. I need you to do your part in the work that I have called you to do. It is not necessary for you to see and understand everything that pertains to the structure of My kingdom. You must only do your part and do it to the best of your ability. I have other workmen that are also fulfilling their roles in My kingdom work that I have not called you to do. Just do what I have asked you to do.
I am the Architect of My kingdom. I know what it will look like after it is completed. And, after all is said and done, you will not be recognized by having your name placed on the “cathedral”. No, that is reserved for My Son. His name will be placed on high and He will take His place on His majestic throne.
You can be assured that I know the contributions you are making in My kingdom. Your work does not go unnoticed. One day very soon you will be rewarded for all of your work and you will receive some very special crowns.
But, on that day when you receive those jeweled crowns, you will be in such awe of the beauty of My kingdom that you helped to construct that you will be humbled by all that you will see. Because you will take your place in the presence of My Son, you will lay down your crowns at His feet and rejoice. For on that day, it will not matter to you how much work you have done over the years. And it will not matter to you whether anyone noticed your work on the planet earth. No, the only thing that will matter on that day is that you will enter through My gates of holy splendor and royal beauty and bow down before My Son, your glorious King.
My precious child: do not quit and do not give up. Those thoughts do not come from Me but come from My adversary and My enemy. He knows what I am doing through you and He knows the work that I am accomplishing through your life. My enemy knows that I am using you to reach untold numbers of people’s hearts and lives. That enemy, that antagonist, whom you know as Satan, knows he is defeated. When My Son, the King, died on that glorious cross, my diminutive foe was rendered powerless and he is now headed for his own destruction in due time. Pay no attention to him. That old snake has been trampled upon and he is nothing but an irritation right now and I will see to it that he receives his appropriate punishment.
So, dear friend, carry on. Go quietly amidst the troubles, the trials, the hardships, and the heartaches. The afflictions you are facing are only temporary but they are serving eternal purposes for Me. One of the purposes is, because of your tendency to neglect Me when your life is going well, that sometimes I have to get your attention by allowing, and yes sometimes even causing, some difficulties to come into your life. This keeps you humble, keeps you focused on Me and causes you to talk to me and rely upon Me. There are other reasons for these trials but the details and the “end of the story” will have to wait until later on. (By the way, I enjoy it so much when you talk to Me. I just wish that you would do it more often).
A magnificent journey is waiting before you. Each new day presents new opportunities that I have prepared for you that I like to call divine appointments. You must attend to these engagements in order for you to discover the joys I have arranged for you. If you miss the appointment, you will miss the adventure.
One day, not too far away, you will make your grand appearance in Heaven. But, until then, you must keep on working and continue to build the “cathedral” that I have a designed so that you will fulfill My calling upon your life. Do not allow anyone or any circumstance to prevent you from fulfilling My purpose for you.
In closing, I want you to know that, in Heaven, I have prepared a special place for you upon your arrival. We are waiting expectantly for you to get here but we will gladly wait for you until you have completed My personal assignment for you.
I love you, dearly. Keep in touch.
Your friend,
God
P.S. You have no idea how many people are here awaiting your arrival and your entrance in heaven. They need to speak with you personally because they want you to know how much you meant to them when they were on planet earth. They want to say “thank you” for investing your heart and your life in their earthly lives because they are now enjoying their eternal life with Me because of what you have already accomplished. And there are more citizens of the kingdom yet to arrive before you do who will also tell you the same thing when you get here.
