Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great. (1 Timothy 3:16 NIV)
Very often it may seem but poor comfort to us in
times of suffering, times of trial, times of adversity, times when Satan is
pressing hard, to be told that, while we can see nothing of the meaning of all
this, God is instructing angels, and that principalities and powers are deriving
the benefit of it all. We do not draw a great deal of comfort from that, but if
we understood I think we would realize that, while we may not at such times be
fulfilling a very big ministry on the earth, there is a big ministry going on
towards principalities and powers through our instrumentality. Do not think that
running about taking meetings, and doing work for the Lord, is the only kind of
ministry that members of the Church can fulfill. Ministry may be equally being
fulfilled when these things have been brought to a standstill, and all earthly
activities for the Lord stopped, and we are in one of these painful periods of
inaction.
Do not conclude that because of such inaction no ministry is being
rendered, or that everything of that kind is cut off at such a time. Here is the
word: "...that NOW unto the principalities and the powers in heavenly places
might be made known through the Church the manifold wisdom of God" – not in the
coming age, but now. They are learning from the Lord, by reason of those very
difficult and trying experiences through which the Lord is taking us, what He is
doing in the Church.