Sometimes I wonder where I find the strength to stay the course. I mean I’ve been “doing” ministry for a long time. I have lots of experience, but deep down I realize that sometimes I lack the motivation to hold fast.
I love Jesus. He loves me. But life is still hard. And life in ministry can be challenging. How do I go out and share the good news with others at the times I’m wrestling with myself?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all in. I believe. I’m convinced that Jesus is who he says he is, that he made us for love, and that he saves us from our sins…. But I think it’s true for many of us that we wrestle with our own brokenness.
Matthew Kelly points out in “Rediscover Jesus” that many Catholics don’t believe they can be holy. That way of thinking is the norm, but it’s a hoax and not reality.
I believe we are all called to be Saints, and that God gives each of us the grace needed to be holy. But even I can often buy into the lies that keep me from trying:
- “I can’t be holy”
- “Sanctity seems too hard to pull off”
- “I’m just too Human”
I believe many of us put saints up on pedestals, because it allows us to make the excuse that holiness is out of reach. So we never try. This is one of the devil’s most clever tactics.
So how can I convince people they can become saints, if I myself am struggling with it? How do I help transform a parish, at the times I need renovating? Where do I find the strength to persevere? What kind of fuel do I need to set the world ablaze?
Jesus Has The Answer
“He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (RSVCE)
Nothing!
The truth is, we can do nothing to save anyone’s soul. Jesus has the monopoly on salvation.
We must let go of the notion that we can do it on our own. When we rely on ourselves, we don’t have the fuel needed to set the world on fire; and we burn out. Causing us to lose motivation. So what must we do?
Pray!
It’s that simple. Yet we still complicate it. Like it’s a mole hill far too steep to climb.
So how do we move this “mountain”?
One spoonful at a time. One ‘Act of Faith’ after another. Prayer is the fuel that propels us forward in mission. It fills our cup. It alone can set us on fire.
The truth is, when I find myself in seasons of difficulty, the source is always a lack of prayer. When I find myself in a place of intimacy with the Lord, the result is always enhanced ministry.
If I keep my focus on Jesus, and work at developing my interior life, my ministry will flow out of what the Holy Spirit is currently doing in me. Then, God becomes all the motivation I need.
“The apostolate, of whatever kind it be, must be an overflow of the interior life.” Saint Josemaría Escrivá
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