I feel like I have a totally different way of gauging how a service or program is going. Instead of focusing primarily on growth, I look at the programs I run into. Let me explain.

I have been volunteering at a teen center my church hosts called The Summit. I was involved with the creation of it and I absolutely love welcoming teens that wouldn’t normally come into a church. There’s no pressure to accept Christianity, just a safe place to be on a Friday night. In the first couple of years we faced issues from light PDA (Public Display of Affection) to having to bust up a drug ring. Though disturbing, it was exciting.

Running into those issues allowed us to develop relationships with these troubled teens. We didn’t just kick them out, but we sat them down and talked with them. We had to discipline them, but we could also offer a degree of grace as God has shown us. We would have never been given this chance otherwise.

I’ve learned that struggles are just lessons. If something is good and going according to plan, Satan will attack as much as possible to try and get it to stop. Sometimes God allows these attacks to get through because He can use them for His Will. Sure, they’re discouraging, but the outcome can be wonderful.

Try this perspective on for size. I know it helps me a lot of times when I realize that God’s just trying to teach me something I didn’t already know.