From: The Pastor’s Heart
To: You
Title: “Beating the Unexpected Distraction”
I enjoy traveling and whenever I can get away I prefer to do it by commercial airplane.
There are many reasons to enjoy flying but to me, there’s also one reason why it can be
somewhat stressful. Once the plane takes off the passengers are confined to the inside of
the cabin for the duration of the flight. Whatever unforeseen inconveniences occur you
realize that you have to manage through them until the flight ends and you can exit
through the passenger door. Our return flight from Denver to Atlanta presented us with just
that unexpected inconvenience of which I mentioned.
A little boy sitting directly behind us was pouting and screaming to the top of his lungs
and giving his mother the blues. This commotion didn’t begin at the start of our trip, but it
got underway about half way through the flight. I had just locked into a comfortable
position and was about to enjoy a short nap, then I heard the sound of a piercing and
unyielding noise. I said to myself, “You’ve got to be kidding!”
I then thought about how my situation on the plane is very similar to each of our
challenges in working to advance the kingdom of God. Disruptions to the successes in
ministry hardly ever present themselves at the start of the effort, but tend to show up just as
we’re getting momentum. Being effective in the work of the Lord requires that we be
prepared to handle sudden interruptions of both a carnal and spiritual nature. A well
thought out plan will always be met with contention and disturbance because of the type
of the work that we are doing.
We are taught in II. Timothy 2:5 to, “Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the
work of an evangelist, and make full proof of thy ministry.” This means that many of your
efforts to create a positive outcome will undoubtedly be faced with a variety of intended
and unintentional barriers to throw you off course. It doesn’t matter when they come or
even why they come, but that they come. And when they do show up we must be ready to
adjust immediately so that the work never ends and the level does not diminish. I’ll say it
again, the work is too important and the stakes too great to allow anything or anyone to
destroy what God has given His best for.
Today, take a look at your contingency plan and ask yourself if it’s up to par. If half of your
team quits, can you still continue? If your contacts don’t show and those who made a
promise don’t come through, can you still continue? If resources begin to disappear and
morale begins to dissipate, can you still continue effectively? Just because something or
someone’s making noise (like the little boy on the plane), you can’t allow it to stop you
from getting the task completed. There will ALWAYS be distractions, but God’s empowered
you to stay focused and get the job done.
EVERYTHING WE DO MOVING FORWARD WILL BE INTENTIONAL AND DRIVEN WITH
PURPOSE TO REPRESENT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT!
NOTHING WILL BE DONE WITH ENERGY LESS THAN OUR BEST AND EFFORT BELOW
OUR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL.
OUR SERVICE IS LOCAL, BUT OUR REACH IS GLOBAL – SO WE CANNOT REDUCE OUR
PRESENTATION DOWN TO WHAT’S CONVENIENT, BUT RATHER WE MUST RAISE IT TO
THAT WHICH IS EXPLOSIVE!
Get ready for major change that’s coming systematically, intellectually, purposefully, and
professionally. Nothing we do moving forward will be done haphazardly, sloppily, poorly,
or carnally.
We Are the LIGHT!
Sincerely,
Pastor J.E. Chandler, Sr.
(CEO/Pastor of MLCM)