Ministry Thoughts

“Servants…don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.” Colossians 2:22-25

Often ministry can lead to burnout. One minute you are rockin’ and rollin’ influencing, mentoring, serving, speaking, writing, emailing, etc. The next minute, you are slap dab in the middle of, what I call, a “ministry muddle.”

This is when we become ineffective because we take our eyes off the prize. Doubt seeps in and we start asking, “Is this really what I am supposed to be doing? Lord, I think you may want to rethink this one.”

Here is what I know I MUST do to survive the calling of ministry? (And believe me, it’s a calling.)

Block out time to retreat from the noise. That can mean a number of things, including going into the bathroom, turning on the fan, and asking God to direct your thinking, sitting on the floor of your closet…with the door closed, sitting in your car in the garage (with the engine off!), any place where you can be alone with your Creator.

Even Jesus retreated from the crowds. He withdrew to spend time with the Father. Rest assured that unless you take some time to retreat and find rest in the Father’s eternal promises, your vision will become blurred and your mission skewed.

God does not call for perfection, He calls for action. Faith in action. Don’t get so distracted by the earthly master, the people you are serving, that you lose focus on the true Master. He has created each of us with such great purpose and worth. If only we could see a fraction of what He sees, we would be overwhelmed (in a good way.)

Do your best and then take time to rest. Invite the Father into every part of this day, knowing that He is more than capable of exceeding our expectations in using us to further His kingdom. Perfection is not required or accepted, just willingness and availability.