ON THE SHELF

When involved in the ministry it can be easy to go from times of inspiring fulfilling work to moments of isolation and loneliness So as servants of God what should we do when left without direction nor a glimmer of understanding How do we find that flicker of direction and hope amid the darkness of doubt On the Shelf speaks to the pastor evangelist ministry worker Sunday school worker and all involved in Gods work as they become involved in moments of confusion and downtime Author and pastor James E Brooks shares his own experience feeling isolated from his pastorate and from God due to a period of inactivity and he helps fellow Christians in ministry to make sense of those dark times of doubt and confusion when God has seemed to place them on the shelf of inactivity after fastpaced involvement in the ministry Like a potter is sometimes not ready to use clay that is ready instead wrapping it in wet burlap and placing it in a damp darkened place until the potter is ready to resume the process of construction development and creation God is not always ready to use us for ministry If you find yourself on this shelf be assured that the Master Potter has a plan for your life to be renewed We must only stay faithful and trust in his processthere will come a day when the waiting is over and when life on the shelf will be replaced with a purpose