There was a time in my life while working at a previous church that I seriously considered quitting ministry. I was pouring my life and soul into this church and didn’t see any results.
The pastor I worked for didn’t seem to care about what I was doing. I had volunteers who fought against everything I tried to do. No matter how many times I warned them, students kept making the same dumb mistakes over and over.
I was depressed. I was angry. I felt like I was wasting my time trying to make a difference in the world.
I began to doubt whether God actually called me to be a pastor in the first place. Was I really cut out for this?
I was about to quit when I received a simple thank you note from a student. He basically said, “Thank you for making a difference in my life.”
This kid had been struggling with a lot of junk. He was new to church and searching for purpose in life. He wanted me to know he appreciated that I was there for him.
It probably took less than a minute to write, but that note meant the world to me. That one note gave me the strength to keep going. If it wasn’t for that, I don’t know if I would still be a pastor today.
I still have the note in a file in my office. Every once in a while, I pull it out if I need to be reminded that I REALLY AM making a difference.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of a thank you. It may not mean much for you say it, but it could mean the world to somebody else.
Who are you thankful for? Let them know!