The Pressure of Being "Great"...

"...Philip...went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to what he had to say because of the miracles he did. Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city..." - Acts 8:5-8

So here is the scene...believers fled Jerusalem and started going everywhere sharing the Good News about the Messiah. Philip ends up in Samaria. And things go well for him. Crowds listened to his messages...miracles were going on...People were even being set free from demonic oppression...oh, and the sick were being healed. This is a pretty descent Church Plant...I think we would consider Philips "ministry" a success....BUT...read on...

"...Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, 'Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is desert..." - Acts 8:26

Basically, the Lord was saying to him, "leave this place that is successful and is in the comfort of the CITY and go out into the DESERT to minister..." This is so contrary to our lives and our world. We live in a culture that always says, the next step in life, has to "trump" the last step you took. The next step in life, has to be more amazing not only to me, but to those around me so that they don't think that I am weak. They need to see my greatness in my "promotions." If you have a job making $40 K, a year and you leave it, you must find a job making $50 K a year - even if it takes up your weekends, etc. If you are leading an amazing small group of 100 people at your church, you won't help out in the nursery consisting of 4 kids, because that would be a step backwards...

Interesting, the Lord led Philip to leave revival and success to go reach 1 person out in the desert. No glory. No promotion. In reality, a step backwards in the eyes of those who knew him...yet Philip walked in obedience. And he ended up sharing the Good News with an Ethiopian who maybe went on and transformed his country with the Kingdom of God...

Here is my point...why do we risk our marriage, our family, our relationships and even our salvation...because we always have to push ourselves to a greater level of success and accomplishment...after a while, we get burned out and everything in our lives falls apart...I am not saying don't aim for and achieve great things...but what if God leads your life to a season or you recognize you need a season that appears to be a step back, but in the end....it restores your soul...the Psalmist says in Psalms 23:2-3 = "...He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul..." Note that it is in the time of stillness, not necessarily business that his soul was restored..."