Learn more about a ministry friend who allowed his brokenness to help someone else.
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later,” Romans 8:18 (NLT).
No one on this Earth is immune from pain and suffering. In fact, as Christians we should expect to endure “fiery trials.” As Scripture tells us:
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world,”
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT).
As believers, we must remember that “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later,” Romans 8:18 (NLT). Not that this automatically makes suffering easier, but it does help us shift our perspective from focusing on ourselves to focusing on the Lord! But, how do we continue reaching out to others when we, ourselves, are going through our own painful trials? So often we think we cannot minister to others when we are going through something difficult. We think we don’t have the emotional or mental strength to reach out because we ourselves are struggling to survive in the midst of our own pain.
I want to share the following story with you about one of our ministry friends who decided to reach out to someone else while experiencing a trial in his own life. I hope it blesses and encourages you. Our ministry friend writes:
“When my wife and I went through the tremendous pain and loss of a failed adoption, you can imagine the emotional toll it took on us. For me, it affected my spiritual life and made me question God’s goodness and provision. In the midst of my suffering through this, God allowed me to come alongside another young man who was also suffering a loss. The young man, Jeremy, from Taiwan, was dealing with a recent breakup. One night, I woke to my phone ringing. Jeremy was devastated over the break up with his girlfriend and the knowledge that she was now with someone else. I talked and prayed with him, and we set a time to meet.
We met regularly for more than a year and were able to walk through disappointments of life together. We read the Bible and discussed spiritual matters, and eventually, he gave his life to Jesus. We continued to meet weekly for Bible study and prayer until the time of his doctoral graduation. Jeremy also got involved at my church and his faith grew as he committed to a small group.
Now, Jeremy is married to a Christian woman from China and has two beautiful boys. He and his wife are reaching out to the Chinese in California, where they live, and are following God’s lead for a future ministry in China! I am so thankful to God for the work He is doing in Jeremy’s life and the life of his family. God took a time when I was feeling spiritually empty and allowed my brokenness to help someone in his brokenness.”
It’s hard to believe that we can be of any use to God or to anyone else when we are dealing with our own pain. Our ministry friend, in the story above, chose to walk alongside Jeremy even though he was still dealing with the loss of a failed adoption. This story illustrates how He can work through us even more powerfully, during these trying times. All He wants us to do is “show up,” and He’ll do the rest!
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).
For More Information
Have you ever asked yourself if you and those in your church could do more to reach the world for Christ, but felt challenged by the high costs and time commitments of short-term mission trips? There is an answer, and it may be right in your community! Learn more about our Churches Reaching Nations initiative!
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later,” Romans 8:18 (NLT).
No one on this Earth is immune from pain and suffering. In fact, as Christians we should expect to endure “fiery trials.” As Scripture tells us:
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world,”
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT).
As believers, we must remember that “what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later,” Romans 8:18 (NLT). Not that this automatically makes suffering easier, but it does help us shift our perspective from focusing on ourselves to focusing on the Lord! But, how do we continue reaching out to others when we, ourselves, are going through our own painful trials? So often we think we cannot minister to others when we are going through something difficult. We think we don’t have the emotional or mental strength to reach out because we ourselves are struggling to survive in the midst of our own pain.
I want to share the following story with you about one of our ministry friends who decided to reach out to someone else while experiencing a trial in his own life. I hope it blesses and encourages you. Our ministry friend writes:
“When my wife and I went through the tremendous pain and loss of a failed adoption, you can imagine the emotional toll it took on us. For me, it affected my spiritual life and made me question God’s goodness and provision. In the midst of my suffering through this, God allowed me to come alongside another young man who was also suffering a loss. The young man, Jeremy, from Taiwan, was dealing with a recent breakup. One night, I woke to my phone ringing. Jeremy was devastated over the break up with his girlfriend and the knowledge that she was now with someone else. I talked and prayed with him, and we set a time to meet.
We met regularly for more than a year and were able to walk through disappointments of life together. We read the Bible and discussed spiritual matters, and eventually, he gave his life to Jesus. We continued to meet weekly for Bible study and prayer until the time of his doctoral graduation. Jeremy also got involved at my church and his faith grew as he committed to a small group.
Now, Jeremy is married to a Christian woman from China and has two beautiful boys. He and his wife are reaching out to the Chinese in California, where they live, and are following God’s lead for a future ministry in China! I am so thankful to God for the work He is doing in Jeremy’s life and the life of his family. God took a time when I was feeling spiritually empty and allowed my brokenness to help someone in his brokenness.”
It’s hard to believe that we can be of any use to God or to anyone else when we are dealing with our own pain. Our ministry friend, in the story above, chose to walk alongside Jeremy even though he was still dealing with the loss of a failed adoption. This story illustrates how He can work through us even more powerfully, during these trying times. All He wants us to do is “show up,” and He’ll do the rest!
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me,” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT).
For More Information
Have you ever asked yourself if you and those in your church could do more to reach the world for Christ, but felt challenged by the high costs and time commitments of short-term mission trips? There is an answer, and it may be right in your community! Learn more about our Churches Reaching Nations initiative!
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