It Is Well With Me

There is always something more to do in ministry. There are people to care for, decisions to make, resources to steward, needs to meet, problems to solve, and responsibilities that rarely seem to end. Much of this work is good, necessary, and deeply connected to the calling God has placed before us.

Yet in the middle of all that has been entrusted to us, it is easy to forget that Jesus did not first call us to accomplish more for Him. He called us to abide in Him.

Stewardship often feels like something we do—a practice, a responsibility, or even an assurance that what we are doing is right and aligned with God’s purposes. But there is a deeper element to stewardship, to our work, and even to the act of ministry itself.

While the practice of stewardship is practical, its deeper purpose is to draw us into greater dependence upon and closeness to Jesus Christ. All that we do, every act of ministry, and every work we engage in must ultimately be viewed through the lens of whether it is drawing us closer to Jesus.

Therefore, as we pour ourselves out in ministry, we must first be poured into. Before we can lead faithfully, serve generously, or carry the weight of responsibility well, we need the continual work of the Holy Spirit drawing us back into the presence of Christ.

We do not return to Jesus merely so that we can become more productive, more effective, or more resilient. The very act of ministry itself should draw us nearer to Him. As we walk faithfully in what He has entrusted to us, we ought to find ourselves becoming increasingly dependent upon Christ and increasingly drawn into deeper intimacy with Him.

As we draw nearer to Christ, our peace becomes less dependent on circumstance and more rooted in Him. Whatever surrounds us, we can remain anchored in His presence and say:

It is well with my soul.