“Choosing commitment over comfort” was the phrase Robert used in this morning’s meeting. Bob jokingly said, “I know Josh has a lot to say about that, and it is probably really hard for him to stay quiet.” Which is true. It was hard. When I was 12, I knew the Lord was calling me into full time ministry. There was a special minister that night and although I can’t recall the exact nature of the message – I know it was a charge to missionary service or work in full-time ministry. At the altar call, I went forward, not knowing how that would look or what it even meant, but I felt the call from the Holy Spirit directly moving my heart to commit to this. I began working in the ministry at 16 years old, beginning as a janitor and groundskeeper at my church/ Christian school and camp until I graduated, and then summers while in college. I taught Sunday school, worked on our church bus route. I worked for the colleges in painting and maintenance and finally in the marketing office. During these years I was also doing graphic design for the local Christian radio station, for the church, and for a Pro-life ministry that helped young women choose life and adoption. After graduation, I was hired by the Christian college I attended and worked there for 8 years. During this time, I was also doing graphic design for various ministries – from churches, to missionaries, to arms of church support, many of whom are still my clients. Then I was called to serve at Voice and 13 years later… here I am. And 31 years later… Here I am. Still working in ministry.
When I type it all like that, it’s crazy to me to think that I have been doing it for so long. I don’t write all this to pat myself on the back, rather to say that when I was called by God at a young age, I was certain of the call. Not the details. Not the sacrifice I would have to make. But I knew that if He called me, He would provide for me. It has not been an easy road, and honestly, when I look at some of my college friends and other friends, I think wow… I could be that guy with the sweet new truck sitting in the driveway of my 400k house. Working in ministry is not glamourous. Despite what you might see from the prosperity preachers who live in luxury, I can assure you that is not the norm for most ministries. Most people in ministry are overworked – wearing multiple hats, putting in long hours, for little pay. For me, the reality is to follow the example of Saint Paul, who chose a single-eyed focus on ministry, eschewing even marriage so that he would be undistracted from the daily work of the ministry. Talk about commitment! He was the essence of commitment.
I was reading a study on the life of Elisha, the bold prophet who asked his mentor, Elijah, for a double portion of his anointing. Elisha was a farmer and when he answered the call of the Lord to follow Him, he did two radical things — burned his plow and butchered his oxen! As a farmer, this would be like destroying all of your tractors and implements and leaving your land to go to weeds. This was an act of radical commitment and a clear signal that he was choosing to ignore comfort and that which was safe. He was choosing to follow the Lord on an uncomfortable path full of unknowns and unfamiliars.
But choosing commitment over comfort is not just for people in ministry. We all deal with choosing comfort because we live in a culture that promotes and embraces a reality that we deserve to live in comfort. We have massive homes and microwaves and air conditioning and heated seats and cars that you can talk to you and park themselves and coffee cup holders in our shopping carts and online shopping and hover boards than go by themselves and movies we rent online and pizza delivery and tv’s the size of a wall and bottle water and stores full of every imaginable food day or night and … and… and….
It’s the comfort of MORE. We are always on the move to improve. Bigger house. Newer car. Better boat. In and of themselves, these are not wrong unless they become a focus or an idol. “Greed is sneaky and it can weasel its way onto the throne of your heart.”
There there’s the comfort of ME. Oh this is a good one. Most of us like things done in our way and in our timeline. “As a culture that prizes individualism, this is our default. The problem is when we start believing out faith is about us.” We even apply this to ministry – we look for churches that are focused on our needs – the best preachers, the best light show, the best worship team… And if they don’t live up to “meeting our needs” or if the preaching gets a little bit too edgy and interferes with our comfort levels, we jump ship and look for another one. “The truth is that our faith isn’t about us, it’s all about Jesus and committing to Him and committing to a group of people on mission with Him!”
We must choose generosity over greed. “Greed is all about us, but generosity reflects the heart of God. When we focus on our own wants and desires, we miss the pain and hardship of others. God has given everything to rescue us from our spiritual bankruptcy. When we are generous with others – with our time, resources, emotions, presence, skills, talents – we reflect Jesus. Again, there’s nothing wrong with stuff, unless it keeps you out of the kingdom of God.” Man, that is powerful. And for me, this one is a key component of my life choices. My goal is to give away 90% and live on 10%. I’m still not there yet, but I am intentionally working toward that goal. I want to live in overflow and increase so that I can keep being that conduit of generosity. As it comes in, it goes right back out. Hold it loosely. I choose to live simply and minimally so that my finances can be used for eternal purposes rather than earthly pleasures.
The challenge of contentment over conquest. “The Bible has a lot to say about being content with what you have. When we focus on keeping up with the Jones, we lose focus on Jesus. But when we focus on living a life that reflects Jesus and pair it with being content, the pressure to acquire the most and the best disappears.” Saint Paul put it simply – through all I have been through – the ups and downs of ministry life, I have learned in whatever state I am in that contentment is the key.
It’s about commitment over comfort. “Committing to a group of people who are following Jesus goes way beyond showing up for a church service. It means putting down roots, doing life together with these fellow followers of Jesus, and risking vulnerability. When we commit to [a local body of believers – however that looks] – to love God, love people, and serve the world with them – God changes our heart, and makes His desires our desires.”
So all of this… It’s worth it. It means putting on the “eternal perspective glasses” and know that all these comfort things that the world heralds as necessary are just temporal distractions. When we set our minds on that which is eternal and when we sow into THAT kingdom, that’s where the blessing is. Burn the plow. Slaughter the oxen and give the meat away. Follow after the call with all you are and don’t regret what you leave behind.
Italicized quotes taken from this message: http://fifchristian.com/2015/08/elisha-ridiculous-commitment-burning-the-plow-of-comfort-part-1/