READ: 1 Timothy 1:1-17
“…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” – 1 Timothy 1:15-16
Simply loving God will be a great guide for what you have to do in ministry. God showing you mercy is a divine and mysterious event that you are expected to respond to. Most Christians and ministers take the mercy of God for granted. This is unfortunate. Failing to see God’s mercy and grace at work in your life is to fail to see God’s expectation of you. It is because God loves you that He has shown you mercy and allowed you to escape certain things. You must see the love that God shows to you and interpret it appropriately. You must know and understand the love that God has for you.
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16
When the apostle Paul was shown mercy and love by Jesus, whom he was persecuting, he interpreted it rightly. Paul responded to the love that was shown to him! God’s love and mercy to Paul was a divine event that led him into his ministry. Indeed, Paul constantly referred to this mercy when he spoke about his ministry. You can only fulfil your ministry when you understand the deep mercy that has been shown to you. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:12-13
If God has shown you much love, your response to that love is to love Him back with an equally strong and sincere love. If you respond in the right way, you will fulfil your ministry.