“When things get hard, spend more time with Him, lean more on Him and receive more grace from Him.” (Hebrews 4:16) ~Joyce Meyer
Amazing how ministry so quickly blurs the lines of healthy boundaries, isn’t it? How a lot of good so easily becomes the alter on which we sacrifice what is best? And when we find ourselves depleted, drained, weary and even burnt out, we wonder how we’ve gotten to that point, doing what we’ve thought to be the work of the Lord.
The enemy is hard at work to keep us in this state. This cycle of doing lots of good, of ministering in Jesus name, to the point of so completely depleting ourselves that we crumble. The enemy even has a lot of us believing that it is our lack of faith that has caused us to become weary of doing good.
Two questions I’ve been taught to ask. How often are you in His Word during the day? How disciplined are you about your times of rest and sleep?
Why these two questions?
If you are only reading your Bible once or twice a day it is like taking one or two breaths, eating once or twice or taking a couple sips of water for the day and calling it good. Even if it’s only a few verses here and there, getting the Word into your head continuously while you’re awake will sync up your thoughts, which direct your emotions, which influence your choices, which dictate your relationships, which determine your ministry’s effectiveness. (Romans 12:2/ 2 Corinthians 4:16/Ephesians 4:22-24 & 5:15-17)
If you are not getting rest or enough sleep, you are not unplugging your mind & emotions, which will decrease your productivity. If you don’t unplug your head and heart from daily life, you cannot replug it into the Source of your life – you’ll be too tired, you probably won’t even realize there is a difference. Also, if you are getting enough of the Word throughout the day, then sleep is crucial time for the Holy Spirit to work the Truth of the Word through your head, heart and soul without you questioning Him with your perspectives and smarts. Rest and sleep are His gifts of grace to us for effortless transformation from the inside out if we are filling our minds with His Word while awake. (Psalm 23:1-3/Psalm 61:4/Matt. 11:28-30)
Only when we are in sync with His Word are any of us truly effective in any form of ministry.
Do you define your life with boundaries that set you up for health and keep what is best from being sacrificed to all the good there is to do?
“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desires.” ~ Psalm 37:4
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