What's Your Secret?
The past month has brought about the fulfillment of so many end-times prophecies, it'll make your head spin! To say we are approaching the beginning of the end is merely a gross understatement. We are there. His return is undoubtedly nearer than you or I could possibly fathom.
Jesus is waiting for God's signal--whatever that will be--to be issued and then He will put an end to all of this nonsense. The Church will be caught up to meet Him and then the fullness of Revelations will begin to unfold.
Just one signal. That's all Jesus is waiting for.
But will He find us ready?
Bridgette, you're writing to ministry wives? Hello? You're asking us if we are ready?
Yes, I'm asking you. I'm asking me. And it's a question of eternal gravity.
We read in Genesis chapter two that God had created Adam and then, shortly thereafter, created Eve to be his life partner. Verse 25 of that chapter says, "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame." But a few verses later in chapter three we find that, on the other side of a few devastating, yet seemingly simple, decisions, "the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves" (chapter 3, vs 7).
When I read that series of ten verses, I stand on the outside looking in with the mysterious, judgmental dropped jaw, thinking, "What made you think you could hide from God?" But standing in the midst of that pristine, matchless paradise, it only took a quick series of thoughts for Adam and Eve to go from walking each evening in the cool of the day with God Himself to hiding out, foolishly thinking they could hide their sin from God.
If they could do it, so could you and so can I. I've heard it said before, "sin makes you stupid". And it only takes one "stupid" decision--one moment of weakness--to open the door to a windfall of tragic ramifications. As we are broaching the subject of transition through our current series, I can't in good conscience step over the evidence of many who've gone before us and, unfortunately, many of our peers who have realized that transition can open the door for Satan to wield his way into our public and personal lives.
What's your secret?
What's your secret? What has "stronghold" written all over it in your private thought life, relationships, marriage, or ministry? When is the last time you gave the Holy Spirit permission to do a detailed inventory of your motives?
I can tell you this: greater human beings than you or me have fallen prey to frivolous sinful practices and it all began with one moment of weakness in the process of transition. Transition from no kids to a new baby. Transition from a houseful of children to an empty nest. Transition from one level of ministry to an increased measure of responsibility. Transition from one pastor to another.
With the heat turned up as we get closer to Christ's return, don't underestimate the power the enemy possesses to slither his way into your Garden of Eden and start feeding you lies. Take a few moments today to steal away and surrender that heart of yours, afresh and anew, to hide nothing from His presence. Got a secret you need to share? Share it safely with your Savior. Then, you can know that there's a Let's Come Alongside mentor with whom you can confide. She will walk you through the darkened tunnels of your fears back to the beautiful Garden you were designed to dwell in.
There are no secrets here. Let's come alongside.
What's Your Secret? is Entry FOUR for our blog series on Transition in Ministry featuring the mentors of our Let's Come Alongside mentoring opportunity, now available. Join us next week for more insight from an LCA mentor right here at Sanctuary.
Bridgette Tomlin, founder of Sanctuary, and her husband, Chresten, have been married for 20 years and have been in the ministry together for every single one of those years! (whew!) 19 of the 20 years have been spent in full-time evangelistic work, both stateside and overseas. They have two beautiful blonde babies--ages 13 and 8--and base out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Like many ministry wives she often feels like the red flag on the tug-of-war rope with the children on one end and her husband and the ministry on the other end! When she finds time for personal hobbies, Bridgette enjoys entertaining, blogging, singing, browsing the local antique shops, and sipping on a cup of hot tea for a few precious quiet moments. Her heart is to lead others to the authentic presence of God--through worship, through Word, and through one-on-one connection.
