I have come to pray a prayer every morning. Sometimes out loud and sometimes it’s just floating around in the back of my mind. God, what is my part in all of this? It isn’t always a question of uncertainty. In fact it is usually a calibration or an alignment of sorts. It’s the question that always reminds me that I am not the grower.
This always leads to me trying to understand what my role actually is. This may seem obvious to everyone else but just recently God told in a very clear way, exactly what my role is. And I still got it wrong. He told me that my role as a pastor is to be a facilitator. And here is what I got out of that at first. As you read this you will see how stupid I can be at times.
I thought he meant my role was to facilitate his work. Like I would go before him and remove the barriers. I, for some odd reason, thought I would help God reach people. I know this sounds ridiculous but in the moment I thought it was crystal clear. Maybe you still think it makes sense. If so, here is what God actually meant.
My role is to facilitate people’s journey. I come before them and try to remove the barriers and distractions that commonly get between them and God. My role is to help people reach God. Do you see the difference?
The first one assumes God needs to do more to reach people when actually he has all ready completed the task. God isn’t stuck or standing by unable to reach the ones he loves. He’s right here, fully available. People just don’t see it. They are distracted with politics, social issues, imperfections, judgments, unforgiveness, false faith, and so much more. My role, in the hordes of disillusion, is to yell at the top of my lunges…Jesus is the Way!
One says let me help God get it done. The other says, Thank God, it is done.
Read all the posts in this series:
- Will the real church planter please…?
- Seeing the trees from the forest
- Thank God, it’s done!