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Overwhelmed
Ministry and Missionary Workers who are heavily involved in the Lord’s work are usually so absorbed with taking care of others that they neglect to properly care for themselves.
Years ago when I was Nursery Coordinator for a large congregation, I had to undergo many failures before I finally learned how to rest. When I wasn’t rested and refreshed, there was no way I’d be any good to those I served. Remember this passage:
21Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 22Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 23If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace. . . . (Exodus 18:21-23)
In order to become a more effective minister of God’s word, there are several things you must do. They are:
1. Don’t set out on a mission or go into a ministry without a life jacket.
– Be well-equipped (or well-versed) in the word of God. You can’t teach what you don’t know.
– Have a well-established prayer life. Don’t pray only when things go bad; pray always, and pray about everything. To lead without seeking God is like the blind leading the blind. We can do nothing without his counsel and leadership. Our earthly wisdom will not go far enough.
– Memorize songs of thanksgiving. We forget that songs of thanksgiving are expressions of our joy in Christ Jesus. Express your joy through song. These songs of praise and thanksgiving will also refresh your spirit.
– Daily remind yourself of your priorities: God first, spouse second, children, local church family, those in need. The moment you get these priorities out of order, expect trouble. Watch for warning signs that indicate you’re spending too much time outside of the home. What good is your ministry to the world, if you can’t first take care of your home? Our diligent service to our families is a testament to the world.
2. Accountability with a purpose.
– Choose spiritually strong individuals who will hold you accountable. You want people in your life who will not “sugarcoat” issues that cause you to stray and disrupt your relationship with God and with your family.
Don’t buy into the idea that you can walk this Christian life alone. Though we constantly fail one another, we are to keep fighting the good fight and press forward. Relationships are messy, no matter how few or how many you may have. It’s better to pray for and continue your pursuit for meaningful relationships than to muddle through life alone. Don’t buy into Satan’s schemes by allowing him to convince you that you can do this all by yourself.
– Share weaknesses and stumbling blocks that you experience in your ministry work.
– Plead with these individuals to pray for you.
– Meet and share with these individuals on a regular basis. Be mindful not to treat these meetings as gripe or gossip sessions. This is about your relationship with God and if you are aligned with his will.
3. Set aside specific times to sit and do nothing.
– Plan the day, week, month, time, and place to have your quiet time.
– Be responsible by informing your family and other ministry workers that you are taking time off for yourself. For safety reasons, be sure to give them a return date, a phone number, and a place you can be reached in case of an emergency.
– Quiet time is so important that Jesus Christ went to the mountain to pray and rest. Notice in John 6:3 below, Jesus has led his disciples up a mountain, pulled them aside, and the crowd is still waiting.
12It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13And when day came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles . . . (Luke 6:12-13)
2A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. (John 6:2-3)
– Take a fresh look at reasons for having quiet time: (a) it allows you to rest; (b) it offers you a moment to refuel; (c) it gives you more opportunity to commune with God; and (d) it helps you look at things from a different perspective.
4. Self-Reflect / Introspect.
Meaning: Introspection is the examination of one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings. (Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Introspection)
– Self-reflection is a key element needed in order to become an effective minister of God’s word. During your quiet time:
— self-reflect by re-examining your spiritual purpose / ministry;
— meditate and pray;
— sing spiritual songs;
— recite / memorize new passages of scripture;
— remember the trials and tribulations God brought you through; and
— remember God’s blessings in as much detail as possible.
5. Self-Care.
– Visit your favorite beauty salon / barber shop.
– Indulge in a spa treatment.
– Take a walk (no jogging; you are to rest, not continue a rigorous schedule).
– Wake early. Sit with God . . . just sit in his presence. Drink tea / coffee and admire God’s beauty from a porch or mountainside.
– Soak in a bubble bath (don’t shower – showers are quick and easy; remember you are trying to slow down and refuel).
– Take a nap or gaze at the stars at nightfall.
6. Seek Help With Your Ministry.
– Don’t be afraid to revisit with those of whom you’ve previously solicited help. These people might be in a better position to offer you assistance with your ministry.
Stopping long enough to refuel is hard. I constantly battle with physical and mental exhaustion. At times, I’m not aware that I’m on overload until it’s too late. It’s only then that I’m forced to stop everything and regroup. If I don’t stop, it will take me twice as long to get back up. I have come to the realization that if I’m to be an effective sister in Christ Jesus, I must:
12. . . work out your (my own) salvation with fear and trembling; 13for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)
If I don’t rest, I won’t be able to:
14Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. (Philippians 2:14-17)
And neither will I be able to:
- Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (I Peter 5:8)
- Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)
Being overwhelmed is a real issue in the family of God. We must be diligent to overcome this weakness by implementing a plan of attack against this stumbling block.
Hopefully, these steps will help reboost your energy and stabilize your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. I pray you will spend more time with God and become an effective leader in the church . . . rather than an exhausted leader.
May your love for the Lord grow deeper each day.
Amen.
Donna B. Comeaux
No notable pedigrees, other than being
your sister in Christ Jesus our Lord
(as originally published in the 2015 Autumn Issue of Ruby for Women at http://www.rubyforwomen.com)
God Sees
God Sees
“. . . Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Hebrews 4:13
Everyday it seems I’m climbing a mountain against my will. I stand at the foot of my mountain of trouble wondering if I’ll ever make it to the top. Just when I get my footing, I slip on razor sharp words that rip me in two. Breathless, I continue my climb only to fall onto a past I thought I had left behind. In terrible agony, I drench in self-pity, convinced I’ll never know God’s love.
During my treacherous climb, I failed to realize God is with me every step of the way. I can’t see him. Sometimes, I can’t feel him. But he’s there. “For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.” (Proverbs 5:21)
Prayer: Lord, no matter what my circumstance, help me see your glory.
Think: How did God bring you out of your troubles? When did you notice his presence?
Read: Hebrews 4:12-13; II Corinthians 4:16-18
What Would Jesus Do?
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts . . .”
Isaiah 55:8-9
Remember the phrase “What Would Jesus Do” (WWJD) that became popular in the 90s? In some ways, it put us in a position to determine the mind of God.
This approach has the potential of weakening our faith. Why? Because there are times we just don’t know what to do. Our burdens should be given to God. To imagine the mind of God is impossible. We have no idea what God would do or say. If we did, where is our faith? We are called to trust, have faith, be in constant prayer, and wait upon the Lord.
God, please help me cast all my cares upon you.
List: Journal how God has answered your prayers.
Read: Luke 17:5; Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1; Proverbs 3:5-6
Donna B. Comeaux
Freelance Writer, Novelist, Poet
Read Donna’s new novel, “Selfish Ambition” on http://www.Smashwords.com. It’s FREE.
A Broken Marriage
A Devotional¹
II Kings 22:14-20; 23:4-15, 19-20
II Chronicles 34:3-7, 22-28
(400 Years of History)
NIV Version of the Bible
JOSIAH
Introduction
Within the pages of II Kings and II Chronicles is a story of a rich child-king raised in an ungodly home. He is not only an eyewitness to sin, he is also surrounded by an idolatrous nation.
When faced with becoming king at the tender age of eight years old, he had every right to suck his thumb, squat in a corner, and hide from those much older than he. With his childish mind, he could have beheaded any number of servants who disagreed with his whimsical ideas.
Yet, in the eighth year of his reign, he sought God Almighty and discovered that he and his people had not been living according to God’s commands. In his twelfth year, he began to make a change. (II Chronicles 34:1-3)
It not only disturbed Josiah to discover he and Israel waddled in sin, he ripped his clothes when he heard that his people would be taken captive because of their adulterous behavior toward the Holy One.
When was the last time you considered the consequences of your sin? It takes a humble person to admit wrong. To spend time examining how far-reaching your sin can be is mind-boggling and may leave you in despair.
There are so many lessons embedded in the story of Josiah, that the only way I know how to tackle each one is to go through the story in chronological order as it is written.
In each line of this series, we will discover how closely related Josiah’s life is to our own. We will make note of the many lessons learned from his life and from the life of his forefathers. Together, we will discover that our past should not keep us from a better future. Matter of fact, because of our past we should indeed become better people—a holy people; a people as intimately connected to God as a marriage.
This study, however, won’t mean much to you if you don’t read the scriptures noted above. But if you’ll indulge in the reading, God will change how you look at His relationship with you. For he is indeed a God who . . .
“. . . plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Lesson One
JOSIAH
A Child Who Would Be King
II Kings 22:1-2
Reflection
As you go through your daily life, who have you influenced?
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I don’t know about you, but I’d be offended if my son recognized his grandmother as mother. To me that would be a blantant disregard of my existence and I’d have a few harsh words to express my disdain for his lack of respect. After all, I brought him into the world. How dare he ignore me and regard my mother as his mother. Humph!
That’s exactly how God described Josiah’s faithfulness. Josiah was like his father, David. Not like his father, Amon. If you’ve read the books of II Kings and II Chronicles, you understand why.
King Amon, like many kings before and after him, infested the nation with evil. There were signs of their sin everywhere. Asherah poles. Idol worshippers. Human sacrifices. You name it. Israel wreaked with sin. So much so that God promised to send them into captivity.
King Amon failed to see how his self-centeredness not only pulled him away from God, but it also destroyed his people.
Left unchecked, sin breeds sin. If you’re not accountable to anyone, chances are you’re headed for disaster. And what’s amazing about the disaster about to befall you is that it doesn’t feel disasterous at first. You ease into it. It feels comfortable for a time. Along the way, you persuade others to follow you. And if you didn’t persuade them verbally, then you’ve convinced them by your example. If left alone too long, you can’t or won’t turn back. And not only are you in danger of destruction, but those who follow you are also close to death.
Discovery
Our sin carries far more weight than we expect.
Coming from an ungodly home explains your past, but it doesn’t control your future. Your past has taught you the wrongs of this life and what to avoid. But more importantly, you have the freedom to make different choices. No matter what your circumstances.
Inspiration
All of us want to impact the world in some profound way. Maybe you want to write an inspirational book that turns the world on its heels. Maybe you want to put an end to hunger. Or maybe you want to become President of the United States and return governing to the people. Whatever you set out to do, your impact will be felt along the way. Perhaps your impact won’t be on the scale of a presidential candidate, or that of a pop rock star. Your influence might come in small doses. Like the time you spent two hours on the phone talking a stranger out of killing himself. Or by bringing a woman who has come to church for the first time in months a bouquet of roses. Or inviting a struggling mother of three to your home for dinner. Or doling out food from your freezer to a family in need. No matter how large or how small your impact, you will indeed leave behind a trail to be followed by others.
The question is this: Will it be a godly trail? Or will it be a trail of destruction?
Response
Make a list of ways you have influenced others today.
Prayer
Holy Father, please correct me and hold me accountable for all I do and say. Please forgive me. Wash me clean. Dwell in me and use me as an instrument to spread your word. Help me to recommit my life to you . . . to put no other gods before you. That I remain one with you in body and in spirit.
PostScript: We are the body of Christ.
“. . . The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us from the dead also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, ‘The two will become one flesh.’ But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” (I Corinthians 6:13-20)
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1Portions of this lesson come from my inspirational series entitled “Impact – A Series That Explores How We Affect Each Other.” This series is expected to be published in 2016. This, however, will be the only posting from my book. Lesson 2 will not be posted here as suggested by the text.