Fibromyalgia Hope

Due to all kinds of crazy changes (including getting to marry this crazy guy) I will me moving my blog. Thriving with Arnie will get a face lift and will be focused on hope for those living with Fibromyalgia. For now, check out Firbromyalgia Hope at http://hopefibromyalgia.blogspot.com/?zx=e0e2d82eb5259142

Not Troubled with Doubts.

"There was a brother in Dundee Scotland, who had fallen and broken his back when he was a boy of fifteen.  He had lain on his bed for about 40yrs, and could not move without a good deal of pain.  Probably not a day had passed in all those years without acute suffering.  But day after day the grace of God had been granted to him, and when I was in his chamber it seemed as if I was as near heaven as I could get on earth.  I can imagine that when the angels passed over Dundee, they had to stop there to get refreshed.

When I saw him, I thought he must be beyond the reach of the tempter, and I asked him: "Doesn't Satan ever tempt you to doubt God, and to think that He is a hard Master?"

"Oh, yes," he said, "he does try to tempt me.  I lie here and see my old schoolmates driving along in their carriages and Satan says, "If God is so good, why does He keep you here all these years?  You might have been a rich man, riding your own carriage.  If God loves you, couldn't He have kept you from breaking your back?"

"What do you do when Satan tempts you?"

"Ah, I just take him to Calvary, and I show him Christ, and I point out those wounds in his hands and feet and side, and say, 'Doesn't he love me?' And the fact is, he got such a scare there eighteen hundred years ago that he cannot stand it; he leaves me every time."

That bedridden saint had not much trouble with doubts; he was too full of the grave of God."

Please take me there!

May the Gospel mark our culture.

Gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture.  The doctrines of grace create a culture of grace, as Jesus himself touches us through his truths.  Without the doctrines, the culture alone is fragile.  Without the culture, the doctrines alone appear pointless.  For example:

The doctrine of regeneration creates a culture of humility (Ephesians 2:1-9).

The doctrine of justification creates a culture of inclusion (Galatians 2:11-16).

The doctrine of reconciliation creates a culture of peace (Ephesians 2:14-16).

The doctrine of sanctification creates a culture of life (Romans 6:20-23).

The doctrine of glorification creates a culture of hope (Romans 5:2).

The doctrine of God creates a culture of honesty (1 John 1:5-10).  And what could be more basic than that?

If we want this culture to thrive, we can’t take doctrinal short cuts.  If we want this doctrine to be credible, we can’t disregard the culture.  But churches where the doctrine and culture converge bear living witness to the power of Jesus.

Churches that do not exude humility, inclusion, peace, life, hope and honesty — even if they have gospel doctrine on paper, they lack that doctrine at a functional level, where it counts in the lives of actual people.  Churches that are haughty, exclusivistic, contentious, exhausted, past-oriented and in denial are revealing a gospel deficit.

The current rediscovery of the gospel as doctrine is good, very good.  But a completely new discovery of the gospel as culture — the gospel embodied in community — will be infinitely better, filled with a divine power such as we have not yet seen.

Is there any reason not to go there?  Is the status quo all that great?  Doesn’t the gospel itself call for a new

kind of community?

Gospel doctrine, gospel culture

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Put on the FULL Armor

As dusk began to settle on the land, I sat on a rock exhausted from battle. The adrenaline had long since waned before I began to assess my injuries. Scanning my body, I looked down to see that a strap of my sandal wasn't tied and had been flailing about for who knows how long. My feet had been fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace, yet just one strap hadn't been secure. So this is why I have been stumbling, I thought. I reached down to secure it but my fingers were so swollen that two fellow members of the priesthood came to help me.
While they worked, I rolled back up to sitting and realized that, in my stumbling, my belt of Truth had come loose. Upon closer inspection, I found the buckle had slipped the notch. How did that happen? One of the priests examined it closely. Then with the tenderest of voices he said, "Because your Belt of Truth was missing just one Truth, the notch stretched out." Embarrassed, I fiddled with the belt determined to fix the flaw when I realized that my Breastplate of Righteousness was missing! Horrified I began searching for wounds. Had I ever had it on? No! I never put it on! It was offered, but I never took it! I went into battle without the full armor of God?! In my searching I found bloody wounds all over my belly and chest. Some were quite deep however none were mortal wounds, thank God! As the priests attended to my lacerations, my attention turned to anther of my defenses, my Shield of Faith. The brilliant colors and lively shapes that embossed the shield were scorched with deep gouges from protecting my heart. I reached to take it off my left arm as shooting pain and aches filled my other arm. My right side was weak and weary from wielding the Sword of the Spirit. My Sword and Shield were both in tact, yet quite worn from doing both their job, and the job of the Breastplate. Slowly and carefully for fear of pain darting through my arms, I removed my Helmet of Salvation to inspect it. It was almost perfectly in tact! The Enemy must have seen how securely my helmet was placed. The cunning adversary he is, he saw exactly where my weakness was and aimed straight for it. My most vulnerable of areas was almost completely exposed, so there was no sense in him attacking my salvation. Overtaken with my foolishness, my head and shoulders sunk. I sat distraught in the Valley of Achor with other wounded and thirsty saints. I knew they must be moaning as much as I yet all I heard was silence. They were so near me but so far from me at the same time. After what seemed like eternity, I heard a melody waft through the desolate place. I turned my head ever so slightly to see that the musicians had come through with the softest of ballads. Even though I was utterly ready to drop, the music swept me up as my heart seemed to just know the harmony. The instruments together made a haunting sound that was solemn yet hopeful, and underneath came a voice barely audible, "He has redeemed us from the curse of the Law". I listened intently to catch those beautiful words and, maybe for the first time, this Truth resounded in my wounded heart and soul. The Truth that, Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us began filling up my trauma. The by nature pure blood of Christ had indeed cleansed me. In Christ, God declares me pure, spotless, blameless, and righteous. One whose name was Guilty, now called Not Guilty. I had heard this before but the discouragement from by my flesh seemed to drown it out. Without this, I did not know the fullness of the Gospel of Peace. I did not know the whole Truth. I did not believe I had been made Righteous. Immediately, I threw myself to the ground in worship. As I cried and sang songs only the Holy Spirit could reiterate, the Lord, my Abba Father, God of all Comfort laid His gentle hands over me. He took up my chin and looked me in the face whispering how He would begin the work of securing my sandals and tightening the loose notch in my belt. But first thing was first, He handed me once again my Breastplate of Righteousness reinforced specifically for me. With trembling hands I reached out for it saying, "Lord, I believe, help my unbelief".


Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
(Ephesians 6:11-17)

1 John 1:7,9
1 John 3:7
Hosea 2:19-20, 23
Ezekiel 36:25-27, 33-35
Romans 4:22
Galatians 3:13
Revelation 19:8
Mark 9:24

Highchair Hording

A couple years ago I read Russel D. Moore's book, Adopted for Life (and by read I mean listened to the audio book). I remember sobbing on the floor listening to the story of his and his wife's visits to the dank orphanage in Russia. I continued sobbing as he told how the boys reached back for that horrific orphanage when they were put in the car to leave for a better life. Later, back in the States, the boys would hide food in their highchairs just in case that was the last meal they would get for a while.

When I became a Christian, I didn't so much reach back for my old life. I buckled my seat belt with uncharacteristic confidence and waved farewell to my bondage. Things didn't get easier for me, actually life got harder but there was this insatiable joy and hope that I had never felt before, carrying me... covering me. This past year, things have calmed down considerably. Not only that, but circumstances have gotten really good! I have been so blessed. It is so good, in fact, that it feels too good. I have been in the Light for almost 8 years now but this seems too much. I have come to learn the secret of being content and thriving in suffering - when hungry or in want. I can suffer well through Him who gives me strength. However, as I embark on the journey of this season of singing, I have found myself reaching back for my suffering not knowing how to/if I can be close to God without it. I also find myself hording and controlling blessings, afraid that the abounding riches of God's grace are about to run out for me. My head and heart are in shock. Such a mixed bag of junk, Truth, sin, fear and other stuff. All these good things and relationships are so good and I can't help but dwell on how life in eternity will be even better. In eternity they Enemy will no longer be prevalent, I will see Christ face to face, and there will be no sinful doubting flesh to contend with. I guess somewhere in my heart I can grasp the full abounding richness of His grace in heaven but I am struggling to believe the richness of His grace is abounding here on earth, in this flesh. I suppose God has much, much more to teach me about Unfailing Love.

Do You Want to be Healed?

“He that . . . wants relief must come to Christ himself.  He must not be content with coming to His Church and His ordinances or to the assemblies of His people for prayer and praise.  He must not stop short even at His holy table or rest satisfied with privately opening his heart to His ordained ministers.  Oh no! . . . He must go higher, further, much further than this.  He must have personal dealings with Christ Himself.  All else in religion is worthless without Him.  The King’s palace, the attendant servants, the richly furnished banqueting house, the very banquet itself — all are nothing, unless we speak with the King.  His hand alone can take the burden off our backs and make us feel free. . . . We must deal directly with Christ.”

J. C. Ryle, Holiness (Old Tappan, n.d.), pages 266-267.

If we go to church just to be with one another, one another is all we will get.  And it isn’t enough.  Eventually, our deepest unmet needs will explode in anger at one another.  Putting community first destroys community.  We must put Christ himself first and keep him first and treat him as first and come to him first and again and again.  He can heal as no other can.  Can, and will.  If we come to him.

“Do you want to be healed?”

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Green Eyes

A year ago you didn't know,

you'd love freckles and a pixy nose.

But only our Maker, forever wise,

knew to put your favorite color in my eyes.

Thumb Holes

You took my hand and in that moment I knew, 

I’d been waiting all day to be held by you. 

Then I thanked the King of kings 

for shirts with long sleeves 

with thumb holes to mop sweaty palms.

Guitar Chords for Hymns

For all those out there who love praising God through hymns without instrument gifting/skill.

Easy guitar chords and lyrics for popular hymns

 

 

A little Martin Luther & John Calvin

“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace to him, if he flinches at that one point.”

A follower of Martin Luther, 2 April 1526, quoted in Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family (New York, 1865), page 321.

Where the battle rages

 

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

 

. . . as the happiest thing of all

Posted: 28 Aug 2012 04:39 PM PDT

“Let us consider this settled: that no one who has made progress in the school of Christ who does not joyfully await the day of death and final resurrection. . . . Let us not hesitate to await the Lord’s coming, not only with longing, but also with groaning and sighs, as the happiest thing of all.  He will come to us as Redeemer.”

John Calvin, Institutes, 3.9.5.

. . . as the happiest thing of all

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Perfect Grumpy Day Gift

'nuf said.

They Unlocked Their Door

“It is noteworthy [in Acts chapter 2] that the disciples, who appear to have been hiding away from their enemies in the spirit of John 20:19, immediately became different people.  They unlocked their door, and went down to the most public place they could find and there preached Jesus boldly.  This change from cringing cowards to fearless preachers was permanent.  We read of Christians making all sorts of mistakes afterwards, and they are far from being perfect.  But we do not again read of them hiding away for fear of men.  The Spirit altered all that.  From now on they became fearless vehicles of the Spirit in proclaiming to men the message of the gospel.”

Leon Morris, Spirit of the Living God (Chicago, 1960), page 53.

They unlocked their door

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Lord, please make me a fearless vehicle of the Spirit!

A Season After Sifting

The day after you came to me the Lord said to me:

"Arise, for behold, the winter is past;

the rain is over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth,

the season of singing has come."

Hallelujah, Lord!

Though my earthly foundations quiver ever still;

the snow has melted,

ice no longer crushes me.

Flowers cover this tilled landscape,

making brighter the dwelling of broken wineskin.

Angels have come,

laying hands on weary bones,

they bear water and bread.

I can more than rest from toil,

I may, like Ruth the Moabite,

arise, behold and rejoice in this season of singing.

Spiritual Depression in the Psalms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy68YXttAvw&feature=related

Spiritual Depression D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

My Dry and Empty Barren Soul

“I can feelingly say, he has proved himself stronger than I and his goodness superior to all my unworthiness.  He tells me (and enables me to believe it) that I am fair, and there is no spot in me.  Though an enemy, he calls me his friend; though a traitor, a child; though a beggared prodigal, he clothes me with the best robe and has put a ring of endless love and mercy on my hand.  And though I am sorely distressed by spiritual and internal foes, afflicted, tormented and bowed down almost to death with the sense of my own present barrenness, ingratitude and proneness to evil, he secretly shows me his bleeding wounds and softly and powerfully whispers to my soul, ‘I am thy great salvation.’  His free distinguishing grace is the bottom on which is fixed the rest of my poor weary tempted soul.   On this I ground my hope, often times when unsupported by any other evidence, save only the Spirit of adoption received from him.  When my dry and empty barren soul is parched with thirst, he kindly bids me come to him and drink my fill at the fountainhead.  In a word, he empowers me to say with experiential evidence, ‘Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.’ Amen and amen.”

Joseph Hart (1712-1768), quoted in Peter C. Rae, “Joseph Hart and His Hymns,” Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology 6 (1988): 22-23.

My dry and empty barren soul

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Shame Interrupted: He Knows My Name

I just started reading Ed Welch's blog series on shame. The blog highlights topics from his latest book Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness & Rejection (New Growth Press).  I haven't gotten a hold of the book yet, but I have really been enjoying the blog. Check it out!

Shame Interrupted: He Knows My Name

By: Ed Welch

 

Topics: Shame

 

Published: Jun 12, 2012

“Open a Bible at random and you will find God’s words speaking to those who live with shame.” I have said this many times and didn’t intend it as exaggeration. But I never put it to the test.

Eyes closed, I opened to… 1 Chronicles 3 and 4. As I scanned the pages, I saw-genealogies! How about best out of two?

I was just about to close the Bible and aim for a more likely passage, when I again noticed the many names. So many names. In a sea of Israelites, God sees individual people and knows their names.

That reminded me of a story.

A mission team from our church was in Ivory Park, a destitute township outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. They were doing kids clubs and were overwhelmed with hundreds of orphans.

What should the team do? They planned crafts for about one hundred. What about some songs? Donna Buddemeier had an inspired thought.

“Let’s sing, ‘He Knows My Name.’”

I have a Maker

He formed my heart

Before even time began

My life was in his hand

He knows my name

He knows my every thought

He sees each tear that falls

And hears me when I call

Hundreds of children sang this song—many of them having no one who knows their name. They sang with smiles and hand motions. They sang loud and with layered harmonies that rivaled the Soweto Gospel Choir. Witness it and tears stream down your cheeks and your faith in Christ soars, as you believe your Maker might even know your name too.

“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). When someone important knows your name, your heart responds—you have been honored! The important person is associating with you.

When you are known by name, you have found favor in the eyes of the person who speaks it (Exodus 33:12).

But best of all is that those who have identified themselves as being with Jesus carry a new name. Those who experience shame often say that their name is shame.  Though they are blessed to be known by name, they still feel . . . dirty. A new name, therefore, is just what they need. As people sometimes take on a new name in marriage, so we will all have a new name that identifies us.

They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads (Rev. 22:4). 

You might have a hard time believing all this at first, but then read another Bible story, and then—another. They bear witness to the God who “knows” you, in the very best sense. After a few dozen more stories about the Father’s unique interest in the discarded and outcast, you must give up and believe.

He knows your name and will also give you his.

{"He Knows My Name" lyrics by Tommy Walker.}

Craft Day

Here are a couple projects inspired by meanderings on Pinterest.

Grease board from items in my storage bin.

 This is just an old frame, a cheap sage pillow case and a coaster. I wrote verses to memorize and encouraging quotes so if I am stuck in bed that day I have encouragement right in front of me. On "bad" days it is easy to get discouraged and lonely so having God's word big, bold and right in front of me helps. In the corner, I put a picture my boyfriend took in Korea to remind me to pray for Korea. Praying for others is so helpful to keep from self-loathing... and this reminds me how wonderful my boyfriend is and I get to pray for him.

 Jewelry organizer out of an old frame, lace, a guarder and push pins.

 I tried to hang my earrings on the lace but the lace kept drooping. Thankfully, the elastic from the guarder was strong enough. It was nice to put some of my old dance and acting stuff to use!

I really didn't want to spend any money on this project so instead of buying hooks I used some pushpins. At first they didn't hold, so I had to hammer them in. Nothing super spiritual here... other than the organization keeps me from losing my mind. :)

Christ, Satan and Us

 Some of my favorite quotes about Satan:

"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them." -C.S. Lewis

"The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn." -Martin Luther

"Satan does not care whether he drags you down to hell as a Calvinist or as an Arminian, so long as he can get you there." -Charles Hadden Spurgeon

"The devil as a serpent does more mischief than as a roaring lion. If we had to meet the devil, and knew him to be what he is, we might far more easily conquer him; but we have to deal with him disguised as an angel of light, and here is the need of an hundred eyes, each one of them opened by God, that we may see." -Charles Hadden Spurgeon

Father God, I thank You that because I am in Christ, Satan, the prince of this world, has no hold on me. (Prayer from Beth Moore's Praying God's Word, John 14:30) 

As Ray Ortund reminds us, we have authority in Christ and we are not unaware of the Emeny's schemes.

You have authority in Christ

  Ray Ortlund

“Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.”  Luke 10:19

In Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Richard Lovelace proposes that one of the “primary elements of continuous renewal” in a church is “authority in spiritual conflict,” pages 133-144.  We are not on the defensive.  We have authority from Christ himself.  The blows we do receive from Satan “come from a retreating enemy,” as Lovelace says, because of the decisive victory of Jesus on our behalf.

Lovelace draws from Scripture five fall-back strategies of Satan:

1.  Temptation

“The enemy strategy here is either to disfigure a Christian’s witness through public scandal, to gain some evidence through which his or her conscience can be accused and discouraged, or to weaken faith in the possibility of sanctification in some contested area.”

2.  Deception

“Negatively, demonic agents induce a strong conscious aversion to biblical truth, an inability to comprehend it and a distaste for what little can be understood. . . . Positively, the forces of darkness inspire and empower antichristian religious counterfeits . . . . The deceiving work of Satan can even be done in and through Christian believers, as Christ’s famous rebuke of Peter shows.”

3.  Accusation

“Demonic agents italicize the defects of Christians and the churches in the minds of unbelievers and cause true Christianity to be branded with the image of its own worst exemplars . . . . They are also particularly active in dividing Christians from one another into parties . . . . Finally, satanic forces attack Christians directly in their own minds with disturbingly accurate accounts of their faults, seeking to discourage those who are most eager and able to work for the kingdom.”

4.  Possession

“The Gospels plainly describe a condition in which human victims come almost helplessly under control of alien personalities.”

5.  Physical attack

“From data in the Gospels it appears that demonic agents can occasionally cause illness, at least psychological and neurological ailments like dumbness and epilepsy.”

More should be said about all this, and Lovelace does say more.  But he wisely affirms, “The battles we fight against [demonic powers] should not be occasions of anxiety.  They force us back to reliance on Christ’s redemptive work and enhance our dignity and authority as redeemed saints who have the power to judge angels.”

You have authority in Christ

is a post from: Ray Ortlund

Ministry Can Be Dangerous

Lord, Your timing is indeed perfect! The following is an adapted excerpt from Tim Keller's article, Ministry Can Be Dangerous. You can download the full article here.

It is always gratifying to see Christians become active in church ministry rather than remain mere consumers of spiritual services. There is nothing so fulfilling as to see lives touched and changed through your service, whether you are a volunteer, lay leader, church officer, or staff member.

But the Bible sounds a cautionary note. By its very nature, Christian leadership involves extolling the glory and beauty of God above all else. It means pointing others to God’s worth and beauty even when your own heart is numb to any sense of divine love and glory. As someone who ministers to others, how will you survive when that happens? Following are two things to remember.

1. Do Watch Your Heart

The first—and right—thing to do is to watch your heart with far more diligence than you would have otherwise, and to be very disciplined in observing regular times of daily prayer. In these times you may find your heart warming to God’s reality. Prayer can fan the flame of that reality, allowing you to speak to others out of your daily sustenance from God.

Even so, your heart may continue to feel spiritually dry or dead for an extended period. Such a condition requires that you keep your regular times of prayer even more diligently. Humbly acknowledge your dryness to God and set your heart to trust him and seek him despite it and during it. This deliberate act is itself a great step of spiritual growth and maturity. When you speak to God about your dryness, rather than avoiding prayer times, it reminds you of your weakness and dependence upon his grace for absolutely everything. It drives home the importance and preciousness of your standing in Christ.

2. Don’t Rely On the Excitement

The second—and wrong—thing is to rely not on prayer and your relationship with God but on the excitement of ministry activity and effectiveness. In this way you can begin to lean more on your spiritual gifts than on spiritual grace. In fact, you may mistake the operation of spiritual gifts for the operation of spiritual grace in your life.

Gifts are abilities God gives us to meet the needs of others in Christ’s name: speaking, encouraging, serving, evangelizing, teaching, leading, administering, counseling, discipling, organizing.

Graces, often called spiritual fruit, are beauties of character: love, joy, peace, humility, gentleness, self-control. Spiritual gifts are what we do; spiritual fruit is what we are.

Unless you understand the greater importance of grace and gospel-character for ministry effectiveness, the discernment and use of spiritual gifts may actually become a liability in your ministry. The terrible danger is that we can look to our ministry activity as evidence that God is with us or as a way to earn God’s favor and prove ourselves.

If our hearts remember the gospel and are rejoicing in our justification and adoption, then our ministry is done as a sacrifice of thanksgiving—and the result will be that our ministry is done in love, humility, patience, and tenderness.

But if our hearts are seeking self-justification and desiring to control God and others by proving our worth through our ministry performance, we will identify too closely with our ministry and make it an extension of ourselves. The telltale signs of impatience, irritability, pride, hurt feelings, jealousy, and boasting will appear. We will be driven, scared, and either too timid or too brash. And perhaps, away from the public glare, we will indulge in secret sins. These signs reveal that ministry as a performance is exhausting us and serves as a cover for pride in either one of its two forms, self-aggrandizement or self-hatred.

Here’s how this danger can begin. Your prayer life may be nonexistent, or you may have an unforgiving spirit toward someone, or sexual desires may be out of control. But you get involved in some ministry activity, which draws out your spiritual gifts. You begin to serve and help others, and soon you are affirmed by others and told what great things you are doing. You see the effects of your ministry and conclude that God is with you. But actually God was helping someone through your gifts even though your heart was far from him.

Eventually, if you don’t do something about your lack of spiritual fruit and instead build your identity on your spiritual gifts and ministry activity, there will be some kind of collapse. You will blow up at someone or lapse into some sin that destroys your credibility. And everyone, including you, will be surprised. But you should not be. Spiritual gifts without spiritual fruit is like a tire slowly losing air.

So let’s examine ourselves. Is our prayer life dead even though we’re effective in ministry? Do we struggle with feeling slighted? Are our feelings always being hurt? Do we experience anxiety and joylessness in our work? Do we find ourselves being highly critical of other churches or ministers or coworkers? Do we engage in self-pity? If these things are true, then our ministry may be skillful and successful, but it is hollow, and we are probably either headed for a breakdown or doomed to produce superficial results. Abraham Kuyper wrote that Phariseeism is like a shadow—it can be deepest and sharpest closest to the light.

Christian ministry changes people. It can make us far better or far worse Christians than we would have been otherwise, but it will not leave us unchanged.