Jim Martin's Encouragement Note #100
When you and I are consistently inconsistent . . . Why write these encouragement notes? . . . What does your work mean to you? . . . Do you know a joyful minister? . . . Etcetera
The List of Five
When You and I Are Consistently Inconsistent
I want to be consistent. Yet, sometimes I am not. In fact, there are seasons when I am consistently inconsistent.
Maybe you can relate.
I can be inconsistent with my patience, my prayer life, my persistence, and my generosity. Oh I would like to say that I am always on top of things when I reflect on my discipleship. The truth is — I am not.
Yet, my security in Christ does not come from having a life that is 100% consistent. I am thankful that even on days when I struggle, I still belong to Jesus. As the old Fanny Crosby hymn suggests:
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.
You and I can say boldly that we belong to him. Given that I am his, I want to be prepared to walk with him even when the days are tough.
Lynn Anderson once said “The depth of your preparation will have a direct impact on the longevity and impact of your ministry.” (Thanks Dale Robinson) This is so true.
In addition, deeply preparing your heart, mind, and soul will bless you as you walk with him. This preparation will bless you as you navigate challenging times in your life and ministry.
Before coming to Harding School of Theology in January 2014, I sought counsel from a few wise people. One was Dr. Bill Petty of Baylor University. Bill is a long time friend who gave me wonderful advice. He said to, “clearly identify what only you can do and focus on those things.”
So what are my next steps toward living a consistent life with Jesus?
I want to focus on what only I can do. Sure, I can nurse my regrets and resentments. Yet, I am going to be more consistent if I remain focused on the mission of Jesus. At this point in my life, what am I being called to do?
I want to focus on what really matters. I can look at my desk and see a stack of paper. I think about upcoming appointments and meetings. I think about my children and grandchildren. I reflect on the brevity of life. What matters most?
You and I are called to be true to him and stay consistent. We belong to him. May we focus on what matters most.
Why Write These Encouragement Notes?
I began writing these “Encouragement Notes” in March 2020 during the pandemic. I write them every other Monday in order to encourage.
For years, I have identified myself as a minister. Yet, I never intended to be a minister. I changed my major three times in college and finally graduated with a degree in business from the University of North Texas. I worked full-time for UPS upon graduation but then my life and plans changed. I moved from Texas to Alabama, where I went to a small Bible college. Then I went to seminary for a number of years earning several degrees. I am so thankful for these rich opportunities.
School was so important to my growth but I also have learned much from the church. I have learned from the women and men who shared their stories with me, and from those who taught me to pray even when life is difficult.
At times, one may deal with traumatic and extraordinary painful events. More often we may be faced with the challenges of everyday life which can be hard and exhausting.
Perhaps one or more of the following sound familiar:
You are cranky and need encouragement to enjoy God’s good gifts.
You are tired and overwhelmed.
You are doing the mundane and wonder if your life really matters.
You are disappointed that your life seems so ordinary.
You are discouraged and feel like you are failing in some key areas of life.
You are lonely and long to be connected to a real friend.
You are drained by a challenge in your family or at work.
Many of us need a simple word of encouragement, a gesture of kindness, or a nudge in the right direction. An appropriate word or a thoughtful remark can mean so much. May we be gracious as we bless others.
What Does Your Work Mean to You?
Some of us do work that we find meaningful and full of purpose. Some of us may not. Yet, work can be a place where we make a significant contribution to our families, our co-workers, and our communities. Some of the most significant moments in our lives may involve our work.
Years ago, my grandfather (my dad’s father) caught a hot cinder in his eye and was hospitalized. He eventually lost all sight in that eye.
Grandpa and Grandma lived on a farm near Granite, Oklahoma, with their three boys. My dad was the oldest. He was twelve years old when my grandpa lost his eyesight. It was time for harvest, which meant gathering cotton from that year’s crop. With grandpa in the hospital, my dad said he knew the family was depending on him to get the crop in. He began to harvest the cotton. Nearby neighbors joined him and helped pick cotton even after working in their own fields earlier in the day.
When grandpa was released from the hospital, he saw that the crop had been gathered. He was not a very expressive man but after seeing this, he told my dad that he had done a “great job.” These words meant the world to my dad. I don’t think he typically received very much affirmation.
For many years, whenever my dad would tell this story, he would always mention that grandpa had told him that he had done a “great job.”
There is great power in affirming words. It means a lot when a significant person in your life says “You did a great job!”
Consider these possibilities:
You can catch a person doing something right. Sometimes this simply means verbalizing the good you see in someone else. We have four grandchildren. We look for opportunities to catch them doing something right so that we can affirm them.
You might affirm someone’s ministry or service. “You know, when you are in the room, you make such a difference. When you are present, you help set such a positive tone!”
You can affirm the gifts you see in another. “You have such a gift for encouraging.” Or perhaps, “You have such a gift for organizing these various projects.”
Do You Know a Joyful Minister? (For Ministers and Other Church Leaders)
The following are ten characteristics of joyful ministers. A joyful minister is not a minister who is always smiling. Nor is this the person who glibly says, “It’s all good!” in response to every situation. Rather, a joyful minister is someone who has discovered that wholeness and satisfaction are found only in the one who dwells in us through his Spirit.
1. Joyful ministers manage themselves. Too many people are preoccupied with what others might think, how others might act, and what others might do. It is far better to learn to manage yourself.
2. Joyful ministers are intentional about whom they choose to be with. No matter what the vocation, you can find plenty of unhappy people. If you spend most of your time sharing stories of gloom with unhappy, cynical ministers, don’t be surprised if your own attitude becomes shaped by this.
3. Joyful ministers understand that being human is more than what they accomplish or produce. Being human also includes our relationships, our feelings, and matters of the soul.
4. Joyful ministers pay attention to time. They schedule time to do the tasks of their ministry but also take time to laugh, enjoy life, rest, and experience friendships. They are intentional with their time.
5. Joyful ministers find their happiness in the Lord and not the visible, tangible results of their ministries. Ministry can be painful, hard, and at times excruciatingly difficult. Yet, our happiness is in Jesus, not in finding the right circumstances for ministry.
6. Joyful ministers choose to be look for God’s grace now instead of assuming that life will happen when they get to a better church or have better elders. I spent a season thinking that if only I could move to another congregation or get new elders, I would finally be happy. Wrong.
7. Joyful ministers pay attention to the narrative they are living out. For example, if I believe the biblical story, that the best is yet to come, this will impact how I feel and what I do. On the other hand, if the narrative is, “Ministry and the church are awful and will only get worse,” this will certainly impact how I live.
8. Joyful ministers focus on others not on themselves. We can become too focused on how we feel, how we look, what we have, and how we are perceived. This kind of self-preoccupation is a dead-end street. Far better to focus on whom I am serving and how I might contribute to someone else’s life.
9. Joyful ministers get out of the shame business. I’m particularly thinking about some subtle ways that some ministers shame other ministers.
“Wow, you still have one worship service? We moved away from that a long time ago.”
“You are in a building program? Oh, I thought your church cared about the poor.”
“You aren’t going to build an addition to your building? Hey, I thought your church really wanted to reach out to the community.”
“You are playing golf today? That must be nice. I have too much work to do to take off.”
10. Joyful ministers know that the Lord is always ahead of them. I love the words below from Deuteronomy 31:8 -
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Etcetera
Note this very good article by Matt Dinan “Friendship as Soulcraft: How I made friends in my thirties” in the Hedgehog Review, Fall 2023.
For years, I listened to Bob Edwards and the former baseball announcer, Red Barber, on Morning Edition (NPR). See, “Baseball Memories: The Red Barber Centennial.”
Also see Brian Harris’ article: “Thinking about posture: Punchers, Blockers, Embracers and Pioneers” (January 28, 2024)
I serve as Vice President of Harding School of Theology, Memphis, Tennessee.
Every other Monday morning, I publish this “Encouragement Note.” You can subscribe at jimmartin.substack.com. You can also find me on Facebook - @jim.martin or Instagram - @jimmartin.jm. My e-mail address is: jmartin9669@gmail.com. Feel free to write. I would love to hear what is encouraging — Jim Martin
John, thanks very much my friend! I appreciate your gracious words.
Thanks very much for your kind words.