Ok, I’m going to be very transparent with you. I love successful stuff. I love being a part of things that are well ran, doing well, and energy is high. This is why I loved being a part of Saddleback HSM. It is crazy the amount of ministry they do and how well they do it. When I first got hired there, I put all my eggs in the basket, I was all in and there was no turning back. Now, when the prompting from the Lord came for me to move on to another ministry, I shrugged it off. I thought, “Why on earth would I leave this? This is everything I have ever wanted to do!” I left HSM on a great note and didn’t start my new position for another month so I had some time to think. Here is what came to mind:

Sometimes we put our trust in our ministry not God. 

When I look back on my transition, there were times where I determined my worth based on how an event went or how many students I got to sign up for a small group. My faith was in the numbers and when numbers were up, I was good to go. When numbers were down I was stressed. I’m pretty sure many youth workers can relate and admit they fall into this trap as well. It can be a dangerous place if we are not aware we are in it. 

Sometimes I think we think God’s version of success is our version of success. That is putting God in a pretty small box. God is far less interested in our success but far more interested in making us more like Jesus. Jesus was faithful. We need to put our trust in our ministry, but God who gave us these great students to minister to.

Sometimes we try to build our own ego, our own ministry, and our own little kingdom (youth group). Putting our trust in the Lord will let everything else fall into place. Keep trusting God, not your ministry, and you will keep showing Jesus to students where ever you are at.

Matthew 6:31-33

31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.