Lay It on the Line and then Lie Down!

I just got this in an email from my friend, Melinda. I know that I can certainly throw myself into a ministry and lose myself in it. Not that it's a bad thing to do your best and strive for perfection, but when it takes over your life, that is when it's time to check your heart attitude and figure out why you are going overboard...Sometimes you just a love ministry so much and want to see it grow and be healthy that you yourself forget to grow and be healthy.

Thanks for passing it along Melinda :)

McLean Bible Weblog

Lay It on the Line and then Lie Down!
Posted: 22 May 2008 12:01 AM CDT

Mike Kelsey, Frontline Associate Director of Ministry OutreachPsalm 127:1-2

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Burnout. We all know it. We all hear about it. Some of us think we're immune to it while others of us wear it as a badge of honor. Unfortunately, ministry can sometimes become an unhealthy source of frustration and fatigue. With the best intentions, we push ourselves beyond our limit and eventually find ourselves disillusioned. Although hard work honors God, sometimes it can actually be what pulls us away from Him and makes us ineffective. Consider these verses from King Solomon:

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for he grants sleep to those he loves." (Psalm 127:1-2)

We can work all day and all night, even for the Lord, and find out that our work has been meaningless. Why? Because God never intended us to work at the expense of our health - physically, mentally, emotionally, or relationally. The combination of "rising early" and "staying up late" can be a symptom that we are carrying a burden that is not ours to carry. There's a stark contrast between our anxious efforts and the reality that God "grants sleep to those he loves." The balance is being able to stop and rest, knowing with confidence that the Lord has taken the divine responsibility to accomplish His purposes. It's counterintuitive, but rest is one of the most effective ways to get work done.

Dear God: Lord, with the best intentions, it is so easy to forgot that You are the master builder. Not only will You teach me how to work effectively, but it is You who actually makes it effective. Please help me to remember that as I serve in ministry. Help me not to become overwhelmed by the ministry roles You've assigned me. Give me the diligence to serve wholeheartedly but give me the confidence to know that You ultimately cause success. Free my heart from the pride of work-a-holism and from the strain of anxiety. Thank You Lord, for Your promise of rest. In Jesus' name, Amen.