Be the FUN despite Dysfunction

After I spoke in Sofia, Bulgaria the other evening, a young girl about fourteen years of age came up and told me her story. She is a new Christian from a family who are not believers in Christ. She said that she is meeting regularly with a few girls in her school and helping them to know Christ and grow in the Lord. Amazingly, she is a spiritual mother at age fourteen!

Her story reminds me of Rachel, the wife of Jacob. After being childless for many years, she was desperate to have children. She told her husband Jacob one day, “Give me children, or I will die” (Genesis 30:1). Eventually, God gave Rachel children, but it was after a season of desperation.

The Lord desires to give us a sense of desperation that causes us to reach out to others and find spiritual children who we can mentor for a season as a mother nurtures her own children. Your “spiritual child” may be a family member, someone in your church, or perhaps, someone you rub shoulders with in your community or workplace. Pouring your life into another person for a season of time helps him or her on their journey and is a part of your God-given destiny.

No mentoring relationship is perfect and no family is perfect. There is some dysfunction in all relationships, so do not think your mentoring relationships need to be perfect. Perfection will come in heaven, not before. I heard someone say recently that if you have a dysfunctional situation in your life, learn to be the FUN in the dysfunction. Obviously, we should aim to do all we can to experience healthy change in all of our relationships, but sometimes that is not possible. When you hit an impasse, take the high road: give thanks often, receive the love of your heavenly father and refuse discouragement. Choose to turn the lemon into lemonade and have some fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously and end up losing your righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

Expect your Father God to meet you with His grace and affirmation as you pour your life into another person this week. Choose to have FUN even if situations aren’t perfect and everyone involved is a bit dysfunctional.