My friends one day stumbled into a brainstorm as a result of the recent circumstances surrounding our ministries.
Alexander, “when will I overcome these shameful circumstances surrounding me, by position of birth in the family I'm the head, but all of my three brothers succeeded more than I. What have I not done which I suppose or would have done to succeed? Look at my ministry, I have fasted and prayed. No week I have not gone out for evangelism and visitations for at least four days, some three”.
Austin, “ Alex! …mmm, you too! Are you complaining? If I'm in your position, nothing should make me complain. You have good support from your family, and you can boast of at least 20 good members answerable to you whenever you call upon them.
So you wouldn't be me. I started four years ahead of you, yet I can't boast of ten, ten, I mean… ten good members answerable to me. I am in a rented apartment, with no support from my family members and I hardly feed myself.
By His grace, I do observe three days of dry fasting and prayers every week, not missing evangelism and visitations which you know about. Still, it is as if I haven't done anything. Am I under a curse or what is wrong with me, Alex, Tony and Hope? …please…! Let someone tell me something”.
Tony, “why are you people barking like dogs? Your ministries still exist and you are complaining.
If you people are complaining like this, how should I complain?
… Are you amusing me?”
Alexander, “not so, it's just how we think and feel about ourselves”.
Austin, “Amocha, upon all these you are not saying a word, hope all is well?”
I laughed, …there's hope for the living.
I need to listen to you people brainstorming yourselves and what will be your solution at the end, but …. Sometimes, different ideologies and approaches are needed in cases like these.
But I want to assure and reassure all of us here, including myself, and motivate us to continue, … no retreat and no surrender.
I invited everyone to step outside. We all stepped out and took a little trip around the environment, then I began to show them some plantations and explained them according to their categories: 1) palm wine tree: by nature, it takes a longer time before it's harvested than palm fruit tree and some other trees. 2) plantain: by nature takes a longer time before harvest than Cocoyam, yam, sweet yam etc.
Some are long-term crops while some are not.
This is applicable to human success. Some people take a long time before their success while some are not. And some depend on the background and personal relationship with God, most especially when it has to do with the ministry as we are here talking about.
I want all of us to be motivated and believe that there is a glorious hope for our ministries and labor.
No faithful labor shall be in vain without expected reward or rewards.
Our ministry will certainly grow at the appointed time if only we faithfully continue without being distracted.
Visitation Time will certainly come in our ministries.
But who knows when it will be?
Everyone was highly motivated and agreed to positive actions.
Motivation! Motivation!! Motivation!!!
Thanks