Original: February 22, 2009
Cincinnati, OH
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
The years 1997-2000 were years of great personal growth in my life. During that period of life my spiritual leadership gift was stirred up, my ministry and influence grew as I got ordained as a Nazarene pastor, completing a four year program in three. My boss and pastor at the time was David Grinder, the man God used to “fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6) in my life. From yesterday’s entry called Trail Markers of Faith he is one of the men who left faith tracks for me to follow. When he announced my ordination to our congregation he said something I have never forgotten, “Jim has become a giant in the Word and in prayer.”
Those three years of life were a season when I “got it”. I finally began to understand what it meant to be, and grow, a spiritual leader. That growth, however, was birthed out of an internal crisis. Every year in youth ministry up to that point had been invested in coaching and being on high school campuses, which caused my ministry within the church to suffer. In 1996, through a series of strange events, I became the head varsity football coach at Morro Bay High School. It proved to be the kiss of death for my high school ministry at the church.
At one point during that season we were down to a handful of faithful high school students in weekly attendance. I remember being so discouraged about my ministry I cried out to God one night after youth group saying, “God, this church is paying me too much money to be reaching too few kids.”
I clearly remember God speaking to my heart saying, “Jim, do you want to be a great coach or a great pastor? Whatever you choose I will bless.”
I distinctly remember my heart answering, “I want to be a great pastor for you God.”
Within a month, football was over and I resigned my position as head coach and watched my high school group nearly triple in size by the end of the year. But more than the youth ministry, I believe that my capacity was “greatly enlarged” (3) far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Looking back, this enlarged capacity came from an enlarged crisis in my life that began a fight to either end or endure my youth ministry.
Perseverance is a pathway to greatness. Perseverance comes through pain. Pain is the catalyst for our perseverance, and subsequent greatness. Look at the painful years of your life and how it looks for you on the other side. How much of Romans 8:28 is true for you?
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
The problem with most men is that they run from pain, excuse away perseverance, and want the short cut, easy road, and the path most traveled. We don’t need more prayer in schools we need prayer and Christianity to be against the law if we truly want to see an enlarged capacity of God’s people.
Do you want to be great for God? Put yourself in a situation where you will be forced to persevere through pain. Take what Robert Frost called the Road Less Traveled (Road Not Taken).
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear; though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.
