I was reflecting the other day about an incident that
happened over 2 years ago in what seemed like a major setback and
disappointment but turned into an understanding of what I was meant to do.
It seemed like a perfect situation. It seemed like God
opened the door. I received a call from a district superintendent in another
state and a different denomination from which I am currently serving. I had not
heard anything from this superintendent for over a year and then I get a call
out of the blue. He told me there is a church up north that is interested in me
to be their senior pastor. I had just finished seminary and was looking for a
ministry opportunity so this was exciting news. I said yes and the process
began. It was a slow process too. After doing interviews I got the call that
the church wanted to fly my wife and I up for a face-to-face interview. It
would be a whirlwind two days of seeing the town, meeting church members, and
seeing if this would be a good fit.
We got to the church and met the board who would perform the
interview. Everyone was friendly and nice and I felt that when we were done the
interview the situation seemed like a great fit. They even talked to us after
about the parsonage and what updates they would do for us. Everything was on track
for a great opportunity. And then the phone call came…
They decided that we weren’t the right fit for them after
all. No real explanation except they decided to interview someone else. I was
crushed. How did this happen? I felt for sure this was God and that he was
calling us there. It was a major disappointment and felt like a setback.
I went through the interview in my head trying to think of
went wrong or what I said that caused them to say no. I couldn’t think of
anything. But as I started thinking on my answers I realized something,
something that would help me to understand my call. The answers that I gave all
spoke of my experience in youth ministry. I talked about youth ministry a lot.
That was my only reference to which I had ministry experience so that was what
I based my answers on. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that
my heart and passion was for youth ministry. That was my call.
I still wonder what would have happened if that church would
have said yes to us. I still wonder why it seemed like God was saying yes and
then the outcome became no. But in the moments of disappointment, anger, shock
and confusion I learned something valuable about myself and my call. The church
said no and that was a good thing because I have had the opportunity to
minister to and get to know many great youth and parents. I have had
experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything and great memories that I will
always have. The “no” turned out to be a blessing and not a curse.
Setbacks are not fatal unless you let them. Failure is not
fatal unless you let it. Many great men and women failed miserably until they
found success. It is in the setbacks
that we learn and grow and discover things about us that can make us better.
So maybe you have experienced setbacks, failures, and
disappointment. What can you learn from that? What can God teach you through
it? How can you become a better person because it? You never know when a no
might open a door to greater and better things.
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