Am I “Too Busy” for Ministry?

Why am I here? Why am I, a student at Murray State University in Kentucky, living in the Brookside neighborhood of Indianapolis? Why am I working to build relationships with the people here? If it’s to minister to them, why haven’t I ministered to the people on my campus? What was missing there – in me? The Lord has been teaching me to ask these kinds of questions for a while, but even more so this summer.

Here’s the kicker: I know the answer. We know from Isaiah 43:7 that God made us to glorify him. That’s why we’re here–wherever here is for us. So, if I know that, why has the Lord been putting the “Why am I here?” question in my mind? I think he is doing it to make me aware of him and prompt me to be intentional. He’s the reason I’m talking with the neighbor across the street. He’s the reason I’m helping these kids build a mini cardboard car. He’s my reason–even when it’s not fun, easy, or comfortable.

That’s why I am so thankful for this internship and everything that has happened this summer. It’s much easier to focus on ministry when you actually live in the neighborhood where you’re serving. This level of involvement has challenged me to ask myself hard questions about my time so far at college: Prior to this summer, have I been intentional? Have I made the effort to minister to people like I have here in Brookside? For the most part, the answer is no. My excuse is: “I’m just too busy!” or “They’re just too busy!” However, after going through this internship, I know the real reason; I have the wrong priorities.

So I return to this truth: I’ve been living in the Brookside neighborhood to build relationships with and minister to the people here–why?–for the sake of God’s glory. Could I do that on campus? In the past–perhaps not. But now, because of this internship, I understand the “why” behind everything I do, whether it be school, church, or otherwise. God has been reminding me why.