While I continue to mull over what my uncle and mum told me on Monday, the Lord has provided another timely encouragement through an article that one of my churchmate sent.
So here's some excerpts from the article entitled "To Serve Is To Suffer" by Ajith Fernando:
"...When people leave a church because they do not fit the program, it communicates a deadly message: that our commitment is to the work and not to the person, that our unity is primarily in the work and not in Christ and the gospel. The sad result is that Christians do not have the security of a community that will stay by them no matter what happens. They become shallow individuals, never having true fellowship and moving from group to group. Churches committed to programs can grow numerically, but they don't nurture biblical Christians who understand the implications of belonging to the body of Christ..."
"...Sticking with people is frustrating. Taking hours to listen to an angry or hurt person seems inefficient. Why should we waste time on that when professionals could do it? So people have counselors to do what friends should be doing..."
"...In a world where physical health, appearance, and convenience have gained almost idolatrous prominence, God may be calling Christians to demonstrate the glory of the gospel by being joyful and content while enduring pain and hardship. People who are unfulfilled after pursuing things that do not satisfy may be astonished to see Christians who are joyful and content after depriving themselves for the gospel. This may be a new way to demonstrate the glory of the gospel to this hedonistic culture..."
read the full article @ http://www.christianitytoday.com/globalconversation/august2010/index.html?start=1
This once again reminds me of why I am doing what I am doing. It is my commitment to God and to people in a culture that prefers to pursue comfort and gauge success by monetary values.
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