Abide Like a Pokemon

Photo by Thimo Pedersen on Unsplash

Most of us start ministry full of idealistic enthusiasm mingled with a few misconceptions. Although we might not say it this way, many of us pursue ministry as though we “want to be the very best, like no one ever was.”

We heard God whisper to us that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few (Matt. 9:37-38). We knew it would be messy and there would be plenty of dying to self, but still we pictured ourselves frolicking through fields with the Lord of the harvest, a throng of changed lives behind us. Yet nothing prepares us for the stress.

No matter the context—in the church, marketplace, even at home—the stress of ministry can be so heavy. Usually, if it feels too heavy, we are shouldering weight that isn’t ours to carry.

One of my favorite parts of walking with Jesus is how he breathes new life into familiar truths. The other day, I was feeling the weight of my own overwhelming to-do list and the brokenness in the lives around me. I was juggling several tasks at once while trying to act interested as my nine-year-old son offered yet another ultra-detailed description of Incineroar, his current favorite Pokémon.

Suddenly, staring at the kitchen counter, covered with Pokémon cards, the Holy Spirit struck my mind like a thunderbolt. As I was gazing at my Pokémon-laden counter, I saw the familiar truth of John 15. When Jesus calls us to abide—to stay or remain in him—the Spirit of God weakens our resistance, captures our hearts, and challenges us to grow. In many ways, he is calling us to live like Pokémon.

I realize that might not make sense to you, so let me offer you a crash course in Pokémon.

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