Ministry is Hard

Sometimes, a three-year-old stabs you with a thumb tack. 

I am part of an SMA Community Outreach called Prayer for Freedom (Girls). Every other Thursday, we drive to Junius Heights Church in Dallas and minister to girls who are at risk of being trafficked. 

I could say that it’s always fun, easy, and uplifting. I could say that we see huge breakthroughs in these girls' lives and that I always look forward to serving every week. I could say that the girls are always sweet, well-behaved, and seeking God. 

I could say all those things, but it would be a lie. 

Ministry is hard. 

To be completely honest, I usually don’t look forward to these Thursday outings. Oftentimes, I’m worried about assignments, classes, and tasks that need to be done. 

It’s hard when the girls don’t listen, participate, or respect us. It’s not unusual to leave feeling discouraged and carrying heavy burdens. But as Megan Archuleta (the leader of Prayer for Freedom) often says, “We must remember that the darkness we feel while with them is the darkness they live in constantly. And we get the opportunity to be the light of Jesus in their lives.”

Yes, ministry is hard, but it’s also beautiful.

All the work, time, and energy are worth it when I hear one of the girls say, “I’m glad I came to church!” It’s worth it when one girl feels the love of Jesus. It will always be worth it because God never wastes the seeds we have planted. 

On this side of Heaven, we probably won’t see the impact we’ve made in these girls' lives. 

This is often the case in life as well. We never know what impact we will have in someone’s life by simply showing them the love of Christ. 

Sometimes, it’s a struggle for us as college students. We are stressed about school, assignments, and work. Choosing to take the time to serve is hard. The beautiful thing is that you don’t have to lead or volunteer in an outreach to impact lives. By loving others as Christ would, we plant seeds that God uses to grow his kingdom. 

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