By Cyndi
Jesus had a ministry because He didn’t need a ministry. If we need to have a ministry (or a position), there’s a problem — we’re getting our identity from it, rather than Him. So how do we know if we’re getting our identity from it?
For those of you in ministry or who minister even as a lay person, think about this: what would happen if you were asked to step down or go on sabbatical for a season? What if it were permanent? How would you feel? Would you be hurt? Do you feel that people would be missing something if you couldn’t do what you do?
I know this can be a real challenge on worship teams. We musicians sometimes have egos. “Don’t they want to hear my anointed playing (or singing)?” we unconsciously think. Our talent becomes our identity — who we are. But what if we’re not needed anymore? Or that talent gets taken away? Or we’re replaced by someone else?
When I broke my wrist several years back I had to deal with this. I didn’t think I had any identity in my talent as a keyboardist until I lost it. I couldn’t play for months! Let me tell you, when your “baby,” or gifting, gets taken away from you, you’ll find out where your identity stands! I had to repent, ask His forgiveness, then seek and learn to receive my identity as simply being a child of God. Nothing else. Period.
All of us have some sort of “baby” that’s ours—our talent, our job, our passion, maybe a person or persons. And if we were to loose it, or it got taken away, who are we then? If we identify with being “so-and-so’s mom,” or “the evangelist,” or “the computer wiz,” or “the one who always has answers,”can we still continue to love and serve God without those things? Are we leaning more on those connections and giftings than on the Creator of those things themselves?
Jesus’ identity was in His Father:
John 14:20—On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
John 1:18—No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John 1:1—In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus had a ministry because He didn’t need one. Jesus had a following because He didn’t have a need for people to follow Him. His whole identity was in His Father. The same is our goal.
We are loved no matter if we do/say/are anything or not, in the eyes of the world. We are totally loved for who we are — His kids. If we need nothing from nobody (poor grammar for a point), we’ll never get disappointed or hurt. All our needs are met in Father God, Himself. He fulfills us. And He never disappoints.