The Inner Work of Enduring Ministry: A Guide to Move Forward
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” –Romans 12:2 (ESV)
When life feels confusing or emotionally overwhelming, it’s hard to know where to begin. God does not ask us to untangle these things alone—He invites us to bring our whole selves into His presence, one honest step at a time. In earlier posts, we explored how this happens as we name your emotions before God, ask gospel-shaped questions, search Scripture, and take small steps of faith.
In this post, I want to bring those threads together into one practical guide — something you can return to whenever you feel disoriented, discouraged, or unsure. If you’re in this place today, I encourage you to take some time to walk through these questions. If you have a friend to share with, that’s great! If not, may this guide give you a starting point.
1. Name Your Emotions Before God
When we need help, our emotions can confuse us. Instead of pretending you’re fine, take some time to slow down and honestly identify what you’re feeling. God invites you to “pour out your heart before Him” (Ps. 62:8), which allows Him to use this challenging situation to transform us.
Start by asking yourself: What am I honestly feeling right now? What words best describe my internal experience: discouragement, anger, sadness, anxiety, disappointment…? Are there other emotions layered underneath?
If naming emotions is difficult for you, take note of bodily cues or reactions. These physical reactions, such as tightened shoulders, racing mind, or heavy chest may point to stress, fear, or discouragement.
Our emotions are a signal to what we desire, so ask: What do I find myself longing for in this moment? What do I wish were different? These questions help you reveal the deeper hopes or misplaced trusts beneath, not to shame us, but to bring them into His compassionate presence.
2. Ask Gospel Questions
Once you’ve named what you’re feeling and longing for, you can begin asking deeper, redemptive questions. This is different than asking “why?” questions, which tend to lead us to unhelpful introspection instead of turning to God in faith. I learned this the hard way in the early years of our adoption. This line of thinking only deepened by depression.
So instead of asking “Why?”, ask:
What does Scripture say is true of me right now because of Christ?
What has Jesus already done for me?
If the Lord is with me and for me, how does that change the way I view this situation?
These questions frame your situation within truth that is sure and certain rather than focusing on your trials. This provides a far more clearer way to look at your troubles. It also casts your emotional experience into the bigger story of God’s love, grace, and redemption.
3. Connect with Scripture
Because God’s Word is inspired, true, and sufficient, it speaks meaningfully into every part of our lives (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Yet the breadth of Scripture can feel overwhelming—where do we start when we’re hurting or confused? Here are a couple starting points:
Begin with what you already know. Instead of spending time on finding the “perfect” passage, a favorite and familiar passage like Psalm 23 or Romans 8 can get you started right away.
Consider what you need as a saint, sufferer, and sinner.
As a saint, what do you need to remember about who God is and who are you in Christ? What promise grounds you today?
As a sufferer, what attribute of God gives you rest now—the Father’s compassion? Jesus’s intercession for you? The Spirit’s help? Also consider a psalm that echoes what you’re feeling in this moment.
As a sinner, are there specific truths God is surfacing that calls for repentance, humility, or correction? Wisdom from James, Proverbs, or Jesus’s teachings can also be helpful.
Once you have a passage, read it thoughtfully several times. Take time to place it in context. As you do so, journal what you notice:
What does God reveal about Himself?
What is He doing, commanding, promising, correcting?
How does this truth speak into what I’m feeling or thinking?
What one truth do I most need to hold onto today?
You don’t have to capture everything. Pause and linger when you find something to highlight.
4. Take a Step of Faith
Every situation we face becomes a way God shapes us into Christ’s likeness. However, while insight is a great gift, it’s not the same as change. At this point, we want to ask: How does this truth lead me forward in my particular situation?
This is where we learn to live our everyday Christian lives by applying the Gospel in our ordinary moments. Little by little, day by day, moment by moment, these small and steady choices begin to reshape how we live.
One way to do this is through responding to His Word: praise, thanksgiving, confession, lament, or trustful dependence are tangible ways to start moving towards living in faith in the midst of your trials.
Besides responding to God, consider if there’s a small outward step of faith as well. Can I:
Ask a friend to pray with or for me?
Adjust my schedule to reflect new priorities?
Take a moment to rest instead of rushing to the next thing?
Choose patience when I would normally react?
If these are even too much, break it down even further.
Whatever you do, focus on just today. Tomorrow, He will help you do this again, supplying you with new mercies every morning (Lam. 3:22-23). Thankfully, God is patient and kind as we learn to turn from self-reliance toward Him in trust.
When You Feel Overwhelmed
If you’re feeling weighed down or emotionally tangled, may this simple rhythm help you return to God’s Word for comfort, clarity, and direction. It isn’t a quick mental reset or a willpower exercise, but His means of steadily transforming our minds.
As we take these steps of faith, His Spirit empowers us to obey and trust as Jesus trusted His Father. Little by little, He slowly straightens out our bent toward self-reliance with mercy for today and grace for every moment.
May our Lord meet you as you turn to Him, and may His Word be the light that gently leads you from this moment into the next.