If It Costs Nothing, It Accomplishes Nothing

I love Sundays. I love being able to worship with other believers. I love to sing the hymns. I love the children's time. I love to sing the choir anthems. I love the sharing of praises and petitions and the quiet time spent in prayer. I love listening to the sermon in eager anticipation for what God wants me to hear. But mostly I love belonging to a church where we are family.
This morning Brent and his family came to church. As Pastor Steve called him up I was filled with gratitude. Our church family prayed for him when he left for Iraq. Not many Sundays went by that he wasn't lifted up in prayer for protection. Many people sent him cards and letters. And today this very same church family welcomed him home with a prayer of thanksgiving for his safe return. I believe that each of those prayers surrounded him while he was there and brought him home safely, a grateful young man. I am thankful for that.
There always seems to be one line in the sermon that speaks directly to me. Today it was "A ministry that costs nothing, accomplishes nothing." As I thought about what that meant for my life, I realized that God sometimes gives us circumstances in our life that cost us a great deal. This battle that I am fighting has, and will continue to, cost both Carl and I in many ways. But how can He be glorified in this journey if there is no cost involved?
I know that nothing happens by accident and I pray that at the end of this journey God will have accomplished His purpose no matter the cost.