Significant moments in life ... Part 1

We all go through seasons in life, where God emphasizes a certain truth at that moment. And right now, I am in a phase where one truth is coming back to me again and again. I have been reading through some passages and interestingly most of them have some thoughts which are connected to this idea.
So, the next few entries on this blog would be centered around this thought.

And it’s a principle which God had first revealed to me in 1998, when we were involved in pioneering the “SCHOOL OF ADMINISTRATION” in YWAM in Pune. Now, for the quote:
“Significant moments in life are NOT ALWAYS significant, when we are going through it”


I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT I SHARE HOW I RECEIVED THIS REVELATION:

I had been working in the office ever since I joined YWAM in 1991, and 5 years prior to that in various Mission organizations.
In ’97, there happened to be a few staff at the YWAM base in Pune with strong administrative capabilities. And we met every so often to discuss the difficulty we were having in retaining people to work in the office within the Missions context. Those who came, we forced them to work in the office, as we were in desperate need and they were not skilled, neither did they give it 100% when it came to work. And by the time, we taught them the skills, they left citing, God has called them to do the “actual ministry” – as if, working in the office was not a ministry. And we didn't help them in any way in making them feel that working in the office was a ministry, but rather a punishment. It was done more out of desperation :-(

So, we who were called to a ministry like that seriously started praying for more workers to be released into the Mission field, especially in the area of administration. Our expectation was God would send people with strong administrative skills (so we didn't have to teach them), and those who will come with a long-term commitment to work in the offices, which was our struggling point - so the other ministries could continue.
But God had other ideas.
While we were brain-storming and praying we felt an urge to pioneer a School, which would not only teach skills and train people to work in offices, but also impart the value & the gift of administration within the Body of Christ.

After much planning and discussions and getting a formal approval, the much awaited course began in April ’98.
It was all exciting because it was a pioneering school.
Plenty of affirmations kept pouring in; yet we found getting students enrolled a difficulty. We persevered through that and the students were eventually there, and some good staffs.

The first 3 weeks was like a cruise … everything was perfect tailor-made, as the doctor ordered.
Come 4th week, things began to turn a bit turbulent.
We were having struggles with the students; the staffs were not getting along; tensions were brewing; there was no money in the kitty; suddenly there was no sense of purpose in running that school.
The excitement faded and the day-to-day frustrations and challenges loomed large.
- What didn’t seem to be a problem early on suddenly became a major issue!
- What could have been worked out now seemed disastrous, beyond remedy!

I began to wonder if all this effort was worth it.
Was it, after all a significant school for the Mission, as we thought it was?
If so, was this the right time for this school?

We all knew it was - but reality and circumstances were far from it.

One morning, after our small group discussion we had gone to a nearby tea-shop, to sip a cup of 'chai'. On our way back, the question popped up in my mind again: “Is this a significant moment? Why am I wasting my time in doing something new, when there is so much of existing needs around?”

At that time, I felt God speak to me and say: YES, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SCHOOL & IT IS A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT.
But there was a reality check.

And I was thinking about why the difficulty then, God began to show areas in my life from the past – many things had happened in my life, which were significant. When I recalled those moments, none of those seemed SIGNIFICANT as I went through it.
In fact, some of the significant moments in my life, were my worst night-mares.
For eg: EDUCATION. I didn't do very well in school and it was a nightmare to face each new day. But now, I see that it had laid a foundation for my present ministry at large.


And this moment now, was no less significant.

All of a sudden, I felt a new leash of energy well inside of me.
I came back to the classroom all excited – but things were still the same.
The struggles still tormented me no end. But I decided I will look at that phase, as though it was a significant moment in my life and in the life’s of the students and for the Mission.

Little did I realize also, that it was the beginning of a principle, which God would want to make it my own. And I was to live such moments, being aware of this truth.

Now, having shared how I received this revelation, I would like to pause here. In the subsequent thoughts, we will take 1 passage at a time, to see how we can live our lives and how we can know such moments.

For now, it’s time to analyze and see what were some of the significant moments in our life:
a) the time we got saved
b) the time we make/made a decision about our career
c) the time we committed for full-time service / or to a job
d) choosing a life partner / some of you are in the process!!
… & many such moments … just think of one such time and reflect on it.
It's simply an event which happened in our life, marking a milestone.

Did those moments seem significant at all while we were going through it?
Most of the time, the answer would be NO.
Seldom would the answer be YES, and even if we knew that, the difficulties & challenges of getting through were always there.

OUR RESPONSE DURING SUCH TIMES …
These moments don’t last for a long time - But the way we respond during that time has lasting implications.
IMAGINE - you have gone through a season like that:
i) you responded negatively while you were in it - how does that make you feel right now?
- do you feel awful / miserable?
ii) you responded positively - and how does that make you feel?
- good / great / you are on top of the clouds…

Perhaps, you are in a significant moment right now. And you haven’t realized it. What is your response going to be?

Again, such moments don’t last a life-time. It’s a season - which could be short or long.
But the way we respond will have a lasting effect on us and others around us.

Significant times in life are not always significant, when we are going through it.