How fun that this weeks Come, Follow Me is jammed with goodness of how to do exactly as President Russell M. Nelson has asked us to do: to minister in a higher, holier way. In essence, we have been asked to bring comfort to those around us. If we will be prayerful, we will guided to those whom we can help by being an answer to their prayers through making a simple visit or a loaf of bread, sending a sweet text, or making a phone call. As we reach out to bring comfort and love to others we are actually extending the Savior’s hand to them, which, in turn, brings love and comfort to us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Chapter 3 helps us understand what is really going on as we minister. We aren’t just doing temporal deeds. Our simple acts can break through the veil just a little bit as they bring spiritual light into the lives of those to whom we reach out. Our love is “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” (2 Corinthians 3:3) Through that love, hope will be restored, life will be renewed, voids will be filled, and comfort will be felt, because “spirit giveth life.” (Verse 6) With that we will break chains that bind and soften hearts through ministering with spirit, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”(verse 17)
We must minister to all, not just to those that we are closest to or those we like the best. Our prayers must go beyond our own desires and move into the realm of the Lord’s work. If we put limits on our ministering efforts than we will be hiding the gospel’s light from the darkest corners that need it most. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:” (2 Corinthians 4:3) We have been called to shepherd the flock, to seek out the lost and those who are hurt. God has commanded us to be the light that shines out of darkness. (Chp 4 ver 6) We can do this in a higher and holier way because we have eternal vision. We understand that the purpose of life goes beyond our daily, temporal concerns. We can see into eternity and know that there is a greater destiny.
Chapter 6 gives us detailed explanation of how to minister. Don’t be offended easily (vs 3). Remember, we are dealing with imperfect people, and we ourselves are imperfect, so there’s no reason to get worked up over little things. Even big things should be pushed aside, because they just open a door for the adversary to step in and we don’t want him any where near our “higher, holier” ministering. Instead, remember who we are ministering for and why we are ministering (vs 4) We need to be about “Our Father’s business.” We need to move out of our comfort level, we need to step up to the needs of others, with patience, and lending a listening ear, helping hand, or sweet message for those in distress and in the middle of afflictions. (Vs4) We can minister with our hands, through bringing meals, driving someone to an appointment, watching kids, cleaning a house, or doing yard work. We can fast and pray for those who are struggling. As we do this with the pure love of Christ, willing to share what we have learned through our own sufferings and experiences, we will be armed with the power of righteousness, and we will have the added strength and stamina that we need to accomplish our own daily tasks of life.
Lives are changed as we minister the way that our Heavenly Father has asked us to do, and as we seek to help others in a “higher and holier” way. That keeps the bar always moving up, so that we can always improve and always get better. We will always be able to minister a litter higher an a little holier. As we put forth effort to accomplish this task, we will find that our own lives will be blessed in a “higher and holier” way.
-Sherri Jorgensen
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