The Conditions Don’t Change The Call

Planting a church is not for the faint at heart, it is hard work. It requires diligent planning, finding volunteers, training staff, identifying curriculum, organizing Sunday gatherings, set up and tear down, and so much more. Now we have to do all of that while wearing face masks, checking temperatures and social distancing. Which causes me to ask the question, who starts a church during a pandemic? No one in their right mind apparently. But I believe the answer to that question is, the one whom God calls. The conditions don’t change the call. 

When Joseph was a young man, he had a dream that his brothers would bow down to him. They heard the dream and scripture says, they hated him. He then had another dream in which not only his brothers bowed to him, but also his father and mother. His brothers were very angry and they wanted to kill him. Instead, they threw him into a pit and sold him as a slave. Later Joseph would be falsely accused of raping his master’s wife, and as a result, be thrown into prison. Talk about difficult conditions. It was just about 14 years between his dream and the time he left prison to become second in command of Egypt. The conditions didn’t change the call. 

Also consider David, as a teenager he was anointed as the next king of Israel. It was then that he fought Goliath, was banished by Saul, hid in the desert and was forced out of the nation. Again these are difficult conditions. But the conditions didn’t change the call. It was just about 15 years between the time that he was anointed king and actually became the king. Just like Joseph, David was also tested. God was making a king out of a shepherd. The conditions didn’t change the call. 

This is also true for you. God has called you to do something or become someone great in His kingdom and there may be horrible conditions you have to face. These difficult conditions may cause you to question if you should keep moving forward. The answer is a resounding yes! You’re going to face difficult challenges and you’re going to feel like quitting. Don’t quit and keep your eyes focused on the goal that is set before you. The conditions don’t change the call. Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ”