What Matters
What matters most to you?
I've asked that question of myself so many times, in so many forms, that I have long since lost count. What matters to me? I mean, really matters?
Does it matter if I don't get to watch the show or movie I was wanting to see? Really?
Does it matter if I don't get to read the book I wanted to read, or see the concert I hoped I would get to go to ... really?
What matters?
Does it matter whether I get to spend time with my children?
You bet it does!
Does it matter what we do during that time, or just that we get to do whatever it is together?
Easy answer.
I spent about half my day today with one of my closest friends, doing something I had originally planned to do by myself. Spending the time with my friend made the experience so much more enjoyable. And, I quickly found myself not caring what we were doing ... just that I got to spend the time with that person. I'm grateful for that opportunity. That matters to me.
Does it matter to me what I do for a living?
Somewhat, but not as much as you may think.
I have worked in retail for about half my adult life, and in full-time ministry for the other half. I felt called (really) to do each of those.
When I was serving in full-time ministry as a pastor, I knew with absolutely no doubt whatsoever that God had called me to that ministry at that point in my life, in the middle of those particular circumstances, to serve in those particular churches, with those particular people, etc.
Now that I am no longer serving as a pastor, many of my friends (mostly ministry friends) have marveled that I feel a great peace in not preaching and/or teaching every Sunday, and in not being a full-time minister. Most of them apparently feel that once God calls you to a particular mode of service, He never calls you elsewhere.
Can it not be that the same great God who called me to serve Him as a full-time pastor also called me to serve Him in the aisles of a retail home improvement store?
Didn't the God who called my family to move to various places over the years, who called me to serve Him in Hattiesburg/Petal, then in New Orleans, then Summit, MS, then Many, LA [proving He can and will call me to serve Him in various places in various ways at various times], also call me to return to Chunky, MS, and serve Him here?
In case you are wondering, the answer is YES. He did.
So, can He not have called me to leave the pastorate as easily as He called me to enter into it?
But, Brett ... you left pastoring sort of involuntarily, didn't you? I mean, aren't you no longer a pastor because of your divorce, and not because you didn't look for other churches to serve?
It really does not matter the circumstances God used (I didn't say caused) to move me -- only that He was the One doing the moving.
That matters.
What really matters to me? Really matters?
That I am at peace with God.
That God is for me, and not against me. And if He is for me, who else can be against me?
That God is blessing me, providing for me, and preparing a path for me.
That there are people who love me ... genuinely love me ... no matter who I have been, who I am today, or who I may be tomorrow.
They simply love me.
THAT, my friends, is what matters to me.
I've asked that question of myself so many times, in so many forms, that I have long since lost count. What matters to me? I mean, really matters?
Does it matter if I don't get to watch the show or movie I was wanting to see? Really?
Does it matter if I don't get to read the book I wanted to read, or see the concert I hoped I would get to go to ... really?
What matters?
Does it matter whether I get to spend time with my children?
You bet it does!
Does it matter what we do during that time, or just that we get to do whatever it is together?
Easy answer.
I spent about half my day today with one of my closest friends, doing something I had originally planned to do by myself. Spending the time with my friend made the experience so much more enjoyable. And, I quickly found myself not caring what we were doing ... just that I got to spend the time with that person. I'm grateful for that opportunity. That matters to me.
Does it matter to me what I do for a living?
Somewhat, but not as much as you may think.
I have worked in retail for about half my adult life, and in full-time ministry for the other half. I felt called (really) to do each of those.
When I was serving in full-time ministry as a pastor, I knew with absolutely no doubt whatsoever that God had called me to that ministry at that point in my life, in the middle of those particular circumstances, to serve in those particular churches, with those particular people, etc.
Now that I am no longer serving as a pastor, many of my friends (mostly ministry friends) have marveled that I feel a great peace in not preaching and/or teaching every Sunday, and in not being a full-time minister. Most of them apparently feel that once God calls you to a particular mode of service, He never calls you elsewhere.
Can it not be that the same great God who called me to serve Him as a full-time pastor also called me to serve Him in the aisles of a retail home improvement store?
Didn't the God who called my family to move to various places over the years, who called me to serve Him in Hattiesburg/Petal, then in New Orleans, then Summit, MS, then Many, LA [proving He can and will call me to serve Him in various places in various ways at various times], also call me to return to Chunky, MS, and serve Him here?
In case you are wondering, the answer is YES. He did.
So, can He not have called me to leave the pastorate as easily as He called me to enter into it?
But, Brett ... you left pastoring sort of involuntarily, didn't you? I mean, aren't you no longer a pastor because of your divorce, and not because you didn't look for other churches to serve?
It really does not matter the circumstances God used (I didn't say caused) to move me -- only that He was the One doing the moving.
That matters.
What really matters to me? Really matters?
That I am at peace with God.
That God is for me, and not against me. And if He is for me, who else can be against me?
That God is blessing me, providing for me, and preparing a path for me.
That there are people who love me ... genuinely love me ... no matter who I have been, who I am today, or who I may be tomorrow.
They simply love me.
THAT, my friends, is what matters to me.
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