Let’s face it. It is all too easy to get discouraged as you wait to see with your physical eyes what you can easy see in your spirit. For many, the obstacle of blocked vision has caused children’s ministry leaders and workers to throw up their hands in frustration and settle for the status quo.
It donned upon me a couple weeks ago while thinking about Zacchaeus that he too had a sight problem. Too many things (people) were blocking his view. He couldn’t see what he so desperately longed to see. Thankfully, he didn’t give up. He was intelligent enough to recognize that while he couldn’t change his obstacles (the people weren’t going to shrink in size and there wasn’t going to be some magical parting of the crowd so that he could have a clear view of the approaching Jesus), he could shift his position so that he could once again have a clear vision.
To see this move of God in your ministry, it will be important to do some shifting. What you see in front of you (seemingly unwavering children and staff) is discouraging you. What you see week after week causes you to want to give up and just provide a good, safe, learning environment for the children (aka spiritual child care). It’s time for some movement. No, I’m not talking about leaving the ministry or going to another church. I’m talking about doing some realignment; move around so that you can see once again what the Spirit has spoken to your heart. Find someone either in your church or in another locale who will help you once again look through the eyes of faith. Determine that you are going to move your eyes from what you see as obstacles to the place where the psalmist David found his strength and encouragement … “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord …” (Psalm 121:1-2).
Right now, do some shifting. Take your eyes off of the obstacles. For David, it meant shifting his eyes to the hills. For Zacchaeus, the shift meant changing his alignment with people around him. To you, that might mean shifting your time so that have time to look once again to the source of your passion and ministry and/or disconnecting with those around you that are blocking your vision and finding others who will lift you up so that you can once again see the coming Jesus.
God is faithful. What He has promised He is able to bring to pass. Don’t be discouraged. If needed, do some shifting. In doing so, you will be able to wait until the promised One is right in front of your physical eyes!
