The Bible tells us in II Timothy 4:2,
“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”
Traditionally, this passage is used to instruct ministers of the Gospel but the message, I believe, is one for all saints. What I see jumping out besides, preaching the word, is being ready at any moment to do it.
The KJV says it this way,
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; “
The secret power in your ministry as a believer is in your preparation. It will cause you to be ready and available to be used in an instant. To live like this, you must become accustomed to the word “pivot”.
Pivot means “the central point, pin, or shaft on which a mechanism turns” In the simplest terms, it means “able to turn”.
Being able to pivot means that you’ll be able to turn from where you are going to where the need is. Your preparation will make your agility easier. Your preparation makes your service effective.
One translation says “instant”, the others says “prepared”. If you do both you will be able to pivot.
Our job is to make disciples of men. We must be available at any time to turn to the left or right. To minister or to serve them. To listen, to pray, to help, to encourage, to move. True ministry involves you doing something. Moving in some way to help another. This means that the initial direction you were moving in may have changed but if you’re able to pivot, you can move to where God needs you to be.
Be ready, pe prepared and pivot when God calls you away from what you thought.
Isaiah 30:21 say it like this,
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
That means you will be in motion. When you get a course correction are you nimble enough to precede with the new directions? Are you nimble enough to respond on the fly? Can you pivot? Can you respond to the Holy Spirit when He speaks to you?
Don’t be so caught up in your own momentum. Be agile, be nimble, be able to pivot in response to God’s Spirit.