Does the Kingdom of God have a speed? I understand this sounds like an unbelievably illogical question, but follow me for just a second. If my job (don’t know that “job” is a good word, but we’ll go with it) is to help usher in, or facilitate growth in, or be a catalyst for, the Kingdom of God here on earth and I have no converts and I have no church plants then at what speed is the Kingdom of God growing?
Now of course the Kingdom of God is growing and expanding, but in my area I see no tangible growth. In the role that I was commissioned for I’ve yet to see any “fruit”. This can get extremely frustrating and extremely depressing. Now if I had a form to fill out every month that asked about relationships then I’d be up for promotion (my agency doesn’t give promotions - so this is a little tongue in cheek). My life here, in vast difference to the way it was in the States, is all about relationships.
We hang out with our neighbors, and I’ve made friends with some of the folks that run a couple of the youth centers here in town, and we’ve started to hang out at the new coffee shop down the road, and I made a few friends in a photography class that I took, and on and on.
So maybe the Kingdom of God does have a speed (or rate of growth) that is relative to where you’re living/working and who you’re doing life with. For me I’ve come to realize that Kingdom work is hard and slow (very slow). I stay faithful in building, growing, and maintaining these relationships and pray like crazy that God moves these people toward himself.
But man is it hard…
-shorty
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:29 am
well i can say this for sure..you can’t time kingdom growth with a watch!
i feel your pain shorty. truth is we want to see results and not just so we can justify our time spent in a different country. for me, i want to see fruit so i can be reminded that God is still about bringing people to himself. he is right?
June 4th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Thanks mentanna. I constantly have to remind myself that I’m responsible for the planting and/or watering, but that God is responsible for the growth.
Some days I do really good at reminding myself that, other days not so much.
June 20th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I guess it depends on how you measure the growth. If you are just counting salvations, then you could look at it as a slow ride. However, I would like to think that every time you allow someone else to experience His love through your actions, the Kingdom moves forward. In other words, it is by your every (spirit-led) action with the lost that they are closer to knowing Him. So, I would argue that obedience moves the Kingdom forward. God accomplishes more of his plan when we are obedient.