A Mess Worth Making

Relationships. Recently I mentioned five characteristics I look for to determine whether or not a relationship is a true friendship. However, there is another kind of relationship God wants us to have...a relationship that doesn't demand reciprocity. A ministry relationship. 

This is the one exception to my rule of thumb for how to discern whether or not a friendship is genuine. About four or five years ago, I began asking God what He had for me next. I knew a transition was due, my heart's desires had changed. It was admittedly uncomfortable because I was single and needed continuing employment, but what I was trained to do, educated to do was no longer what I wanted to do. Although it was a very, very slow process to discovering God's call for what would be next, it finally became evident. Discipling women. 

God had given me a few opportunities to guide younger women through some challenges in their lives and I'd seen how God used my influence. It's always a challenge in discipleship to be clear about your role. My job is simply to remind these younger women of the truth from Scripture (much the way I remember my Dad doing in long talks we had while I grew up). It is their responsibility to dwell on that truth and discuss it with the Lord until He convicts their hearts of the right decision in any given situation. The idea is that with a clear biblical principle in hand and the Holy Spirit indwelling their hearts, through prayer and genuine seeking, the right decision will become evident. Then, it simply becomes a matter of the will. 

Each time one young woman successfully navigated through a difficult time in life and I noticed I wouldn't be needed much longer, the Lord brought about a new discipleship relationship seamlessly. I discipled the first young woman for a year, the second young woman for a year and now I'm discipling a third. With the third, we're coming up on a year now too.

The difference between them is that the first two had been believers for years and simply had an area of struggle in life that they needed help navigating. This time, I'm discipling a new believer and her whole way of thinking and living from the past has been challenged. We'll continue on together longer than the first two, but what a joy it is to help a sister in Christ navigate challenges in life to live God's way.