BIG RAPIDS – As the coronavirus began to take root and thousands of people in China became infected, social media and the news media was flooded with headlines such as “Deadly Outbreak in China Headed to the U.S.” It wasn’t long before fear overtook our nation. Fear and dread filled our hearts; and our hope seemed to be as empty as the toilet paper shelves all across America. It was a time where we found ourselves shut inside our homes, waiting for some glimmer of hope. A sense of normalcy again.
In fact, I remember when my wife and I ventured out for the first time in weeks, into Mt Pleasant. Now Mt Pleasant, a college town, is always a hopping place especially on a Saturday! However, this time it seemed almost like a ghost town, oh sure there were a few cars and people out, but nothing like a normal Saturday. It just seemed empty, so many storefronts closed, parking lots empty. It simply seemed like a grim sight. As we were heading to do our “essential” shopping, we couldn’t help but think about the uncertainties that lie ahead.
It was a time that most of us truly learned the value of togetherness, fellowship, socializing, and serving; all things we often take for granted when going to Church. In fact, the blessing behind Covid, was it revealed to so many of us how to truly be thankful. However, even though Covid taught me to be grateful, this would be a lesson I would learn 6 months prior to the Covid outbreak.
At the time, I was serving as pastor of a small flock in Mt Pleasant for nearly five years. It was a struggling church. Nonetheless, it was the most loving and giving bunch of people I have ever had the privilege of serving. Prior to this church, I served as an Associate Pastor of a rather, unruly bunch of misfits. (but to be fair, most of us would likely fall into this category!)
So, you see, when God called me to Mt Pleasant, I was ecstatic! To have an opportunity to serve as their pastor was exciting! I was young in ministry, energetic, eager, and, quite frankly, full of myself! I came there with big dreams! This church needed life, and I was gonna bring it! “I’m gonna grow this church… This will be great! I’ll make it a well-known church and I’ll be a well known pastor!”
Oh, my folly! I did none of the above. Quite the opposite! God closed that church six months prior to Covid sweeping across our nation! Here I am still new in ministry, just called to this church a mere five years beforehand, and He rips it out from under me! Why? I didn’t understand… I did everything right, I was faithful, I preached the truth, I evangelized. I read every book I could find on how to grow a small church, plus attended countless small church conferences and seminars. Why would God allow this to happen?
I spent the entire year of Covid praying, often fasting, trying to figure out where it went wrong. What I did or didn’t do? God called me into ministry, called me to a church only to take it all away! It took me some time to realize it, but I believe He took it away because my focus was on “my” wants and ambitions, not “His”.
It was all about me, not Him, not the people, not the mission. He took it away because of my arrogance and pride. You see, for me, the closing of that church, and Covid, was like eating a giant slice of humble pie! First off, before Covid, I had lost focus on what’s important… Worship was important, yes, but worship should never have been restricted to the building! So, God took the building and the flock away, long before He took away the ability to gather in a building.
I had to first be grateful for what He had given. Hebrews 13:5 tells us to “Be content with such things that ye have…”(KJV) I realize everyone is quick to quote the latter part of that verse, “for He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”(KJV). The part about being content is often ignored. It certainly was by me! “I’m gonna grow this church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, because He has said I will never leave you or forsake you”!
Again, oh, my folly! I had ignored the most important part of it all! To be content with what He's given! I was not content, I wanted more! More knowledge, more recognition, a bigger church with more church attendance. However, in the want of all of that, my want for Him, His mission, seemed to slowly slip away.
I learned the key to living a grateful life lies in our humility. It was difficult to be grateful when I was never satisfied, when what I had wasn’t enough, when it was all about me, my ability, my knowledge, my wants and my ambitions. I had to realize that God had already given me enough. Who I was as a pastor was enough, the people I serve are enough, the opportunities to serve are enough. God has given me more than enough.
I am now living a grateful life because of my experiences, both pre and post Covid. Because my experiences are enough, because I am enough, but mostly, because God is enough! Everything He has given is enough. The wonderful church that He has now given, is enough. When we truly realize and believe with every ounce of our soul that what we have, who we are, and what He’s given, is enough, that is when we shall truly live a grateful life!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pastor Terry Wilson serves as Pastor of Charity Baptist Church of Big Rapids. He received his seminary degree at Grace Christian University. He has served many capacities both at the State level and local. He currently serves as the Moderator for the Bay Area Baptist Association as well as many other committees within the Association. Pastor Terry is relatively new in ministry, less than ten years, However, his experience in ministry doesn’t come from the number of years, but instead, from the number of experiences. He has learned from those experiences how to “Live a Grateful Life".
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