If you've ever climbed a mountain (or even just a good-sized hill) you'll know that it can feel like hard work and it's not long before you start to question whether it's worth it. But on a clear day, what can really make a big difference, is after putting some serious effort in, looking up and seeing some good progress made and knowing you are nearer to the top.
However, the danger comes when you're desperate for that burst of encouragement and you keep looking up at every opportunity you get. But each time you look up, the top looks just as close as it did last time. Plus with your eyes up, you're more likely to miss something on the floor and trip up.
Youth and Children's ministry can feel like climbing a mountain, not least because it can often be hard work. But more than that, it is not uncommon to feel like lots of effort is going into young people but that all that hard work isn't really making any difference.
You know that Paul says 'always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain' (1 Corinthians 15:58) but it does feel in vain! Just like climbing a mountain when you feel you're not making any progress and you want to give up, this is the time to take a look up and see the progress that has been made.
Pausing to look back
When we do take that opportunity to stop and think big picture we can see the amazing ways that God has used our hard work to do wonderful things in the lives of the youth and children we have poured out our lives into. Maybe it's that girl who was incredibly badly behaved but the last time you saw her on a youth camp she was listening intently with her well-worn Bible as she took notes. The family with the child with special educational needs that took a lot of hard work to make sure she had adequate provision which you didn't know how much of a difference it had made. But then in conversation the parents shared the huge difference it had made to all their lives and the things the child had picked up. Or that youth who messed around at youth group and you were certain was only there for the fun and you kinda wished didn’t come. But they are now living for Jesus despite huge challenges in their life and bringing friends to church.
These are the encouragements we need to remind ourselves of when we feel like we're plugging away and making no difference to anyone. But it's the nature of ministry - it is God's work and he does it in his time using our efforts. When someone shares one with you, do take a moment to praise God for it and tuck it away, ready to be an encouragement to keep going when your efforts feel fruitless.
But beware becoming the mountain climber constantly looking up the mountain. If we are constantly looking to see long-term change in our young people's lives then we will be disappointed. God works slowly to change young people and it is His work to make that change come about. I desperately want that to happen, I pray for it eagerly and can be expectant that God will do it. But I still need to be patient and focus on the task God has given me, plugging away and sharing the gospel into the lives of the young people God has given me to work with. And while my focus is there, I need to make sure I still take those opportunities to look up, see what God has done and the fruits of the ministry in order that I might keep plugging away.
Paul seemed to know this would be a battle we would fight and encouraged us to 'not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.' (Galatians 6:9) While I might get the privilege to be encouraged by seeing some of the harvest, I definitely won't see it all!
