Ministry does not begin in a theological school. There is nothing wrong with theological education, but it is not the main requirement for serving God. The actual qualification for ministry is to experience God—to share in His sufferings, to suffer as He suffered, and to live solely for God the Father, not for the world. When a person reaches this level, it is the result of a conscious choice. To merely be a Christian requires no decision at all. But if we believe in God, we must care about His feelings. God is not only the God written about in the Bible; He is a living God who desires that we understand His thoughts and emotions within the context of our own lives. The question is: how can we make this real?
When we still hold on to pleasures that make us dishonour God, that do no good to others, and only gratify ourselves, all of those must be cast off. This is how we “behead” ourselves—deny ourselves. It means we dare to betray our own fleshly desires for the sake of God’s will. We cannot choose our own cross, for the portion of service we are to carry has been determined by God. He is the one who reveals and assigns it, not us. Too often, people prefer to choose forms of ministry that feel comfortable to them. Yet before one can reach true ministry, one must first learn to understand God’s will, gain spiritual intelligence, and practice it daily. Only then will God lead that person into divine projects—heavenly assignments personally entrusted to each believer.
Ironically, many people have no sense of crisis about this world. We should be like Noah, who felt the urgency of his time and devoted his life to building the ark, even while being mocked by others. Will we not all face death and eternity? Then why not direct our entire lives toward accomplishing something for God? He will surely come again and establish His Kingdom. The Lord longs for our hearts to be broken by love for Him, until we can say sincerely, “Lord, whatever You want me to do, I will do it.” Such sincerity is already a fragrant offering before Him—how much more when it is expressed through real action.
Often God brings us into difficult situations, yet behind each hardship, He is testing our hearts—to see how much we love Him and how willing we are to become “poured-out wine” and “broken bread.” At times, we may feel frustrated, thinking God seems not to help our ministry or withholds His blessings. But in truth, through all of this, He is maturing us. Just as the early church endured severe persecution, it was through suffering that its faith was purified. Now we can better understand that when we face difficulties, we can rest assured that God is in control and is working all things for the good of those who love Him.
In Philippians 3:10, Paul wrote, “…becoming like Him in His death.” This means that Jesus Christ died for the glory of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to fulfilling the Father’s will in heaven. Therefore, if we do not begin to change now, we will never do so. We may not be evil or immoral people, but without the breath of Christ’s spirit within us, our lives are spiritually empty, and this is where the courage to choose is needed.
That choice is not a one-time decision—it must be renewed daily. From the moment we open our eyes each morning, every action we take is a choice: will we set our minds on the Kingdom of Heaven or on the world? A true believer should direct his whole life toward the Kingdom of God. Therefore, we must choose to “pack up,” to prepare ourselves for the heavenly calling.
Let us change. Let us focus our entire lives on the Kingdom of God. That is a choice. Will we be people who live for this world today, or people who live for eternity tomorrow? The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We must end the pattern of living that only pursues worldly normality. It may sound simple, but in truth, it is not easy. We must choose—and that choice must be renewed every day. Do not delay, for to delay is to refuse.
Praise the Lord if today God still gives us the chance to hear His Word and correct ourselves. But if that opportunity has passed, it is a great danger. Therefore, while there is still time and breath in our lives, make the decision today to choose Christ as the only purpose of your life.