By Evangelist John BJ Hall
While I was in seminary I had a class held at a campground near Waco, Texas. I misunderstood the starting time of the class so I arrived about three hours early. There was no one there, so I had time to look around and familiarize myself with my surroundings.
I had a lot going on in my mind. I was, in fact, struggling with a crisis of faith. In no way was I doubting God’s work of salvation that He had done in my life. I was struggling to comprehend what God wanted me to do with the rest of my life.
I had spent nearly thirty years in full-time ministry as a pastor. But God was asking me to do something that I didn’t think I was capable of. He was calling me into full-time evangelism but I wanted to remain a pastor, or possibly be a Director of Missions in an association. I was so convinced that is where God wanted me that I had changed my major from theology to a masters degree in religious education.
The problem was that there were no associations that were interested in me and my hopes seemed to be dashed on the rocks of despair. What was even more frustrating for me was that several of my friends in the ministry were answering the call to serve in the field that I was convinced was my call.
As I wandered around the campgrounds, I noticed on the far side of a large fishing pond a small chapel nestled in a grove of trees. It seemed like it would be a nice place to sit on the porch and contemplate what God was doing in my life.
As I approached it, I found that things were not what they seemed to be. The chapel was run down. As I looked in through the smoky glass I saw that pews were piled on top of one another. The pulpit was broken down, and boxes were strewn about the room.
The Lord brought to my mind a passage that seemed what I was seeing in this little chapel and what was going on in my life. First Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV) says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” My problem was that I was trying to force my understanding into fruition rather than listening to His direction. In so doing I was cluttering the temple (chapel) of my life with things that were not important.
Have you ever come to a crisis of belief in your life? It can be unsettling. But if we remain faithful and observe the signs that He places in our path, we will find the direction we need.
Some of you, reading this article, may not have come to a time in your life when you trusted in Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. It is important that you open your eyes and see what God is doing around you. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Allow Him to enter the sanctuary of your heart. He will put things in order like you have never seen before.
The Little Chapel
From A distance it looked So inviting and secure,
A place where hearts Could be made so pure.
But as I came near My eyes did behold,
Its windows were dark And its breath was cold.
The little chapel was in disrepair,
The steeple was tilted And wood doors were bare.
Inside it was cluttered With boards and such.
It was hard to tell There some soul had been touched.
It was plain to see It had not been used,
In many a year by the look of the pews.
So lonely it seemed I just had to stay
And fall on my knees a prayer to say.
The chapel seemed brighter As love shown through.
Why one could say, It almost looked new!
I suddenly saw That the chapel was me,
And through God's love, I had been set free.
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