…God’s using it to create a masterpiece —and you’re part of His workmanship

Thank you.

As we near the end of celebrating 75 years of partnering together in ministry, I hope gratitude has resonated in everything we’ve said and done.

Have you prayed for the work God is doing through Ethnos? We appreciate you.

Have you given to God’s work through Ethnos? Thank you.

Have you served with Ethnos or New Tribes Mission? We’re grateful to you.

But I wonder if you read this and feel like I sometimes do. Sometimes I feel like I ought to be doing so much more — giving more, praying harder, serving longer.

So let me share with you three things I tell myself when I feel that way.

First, all prayer, giving or service is significant. They’re all part of the big picture — and God is the Artist. He’s taking anything and everything we contribute to the canvas, and He’s making it into a masterpiece. And again we thank you for being part of the work.

But the second thing I tell myself is that I recognize that there are times when I really don’t want to do more. We all like the status quo. But God is in the business of changing us. So that feeling that I ought to do more might just be the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Maybe we feel like we ought to do more because God wants us to do more.

Now, if God brings a particular need to mind — if I’m burdened to pray about something, give to a missionary or help someone out — the next step is easy. It’s called obedience.

But what if it’s that general, vague sense that God is calling you to something more? What then?

That’s when the third thing I tell myself comes into play: Just do good.

Pray for someone. Make a random gift to a missionary you don’t know. Mow your neighbor’s lawn. It doesn’t really matter. Just do good.

Sounds almost heretical, doesn’t it? We often want to wait for God’s specific direction. But I think that all too often that leads to Christians sitting on their hands and saying they’re waiting on God.

What if God is actually waiting on you?

Doing good is never wrong. So if you feel like doing more, go ahead. I hope you’ll consider this a gift in appreciation for the role you’re already playing, and I trust you will continue to let God grow you into the role He has planned for you.