"Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men"
 

This is one of my favorite verses and one that I have tried to apply in everything I do. Ministry isn't as easy as some might think. There isn't a magic formula to get it all right. There's  a lot of rejection from people that are all on the same path and yet see things differently. There's also this whole job area of ministry some people fall into. They put themselves into the job of ministry but not into the ministry itself.  I've been on that side of ministry too. Sometimes we can make our ministry programs so well oiled that God just can't move. We miss the opportunity to allow people to be themselves and serve with all their flaws. Saying, 'We don't expect perfection, but you better give it to us'. There seems to be these unwritten rules that nobody talks about.
As a Christian I have seen the ugly of ministry and God has had to bring me back to his focus, to work for him and not for man. That is so hard for me, I want to be accepted, liked and trusted, but whenever I feel insecure and start working for man everything crumbles. "Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men".  Man will always let you down, find fault, use and even abuse you but God will stand by you, teach you and lead you. 

I'm where God wants me. I know what he has called me to do. I go off the path at times and serve man but God is always there to pick me back up and teach me yet again a lesson of humility.  All my hard work belongs to him. I don't need the glory here on earth, I don't need the pats on the back and I don't need anyone's approval. I just need to know I'm doing what God called me to do, in the way he called me to do it. I need to work hard, give him my best and be an example of his never ending love. I need to be "Who I Am" in him, the rest always takes care of itself.