I have found as a teacher that clinging to a passion for the message, a burden to share the gospel, and a joy to proclaim Christ is an amazing antidote to the temptation to make feelings contingent upon the quality of the music, the smoothness of the transitions, the size of the crowd, the whatever. When I draw my excitement from Scripture and ground my motivation in an unbearable need to talk about the gospel, I cut off the emotional roller coaster of all the other who/what/when/where.
I'm guessing you can reach burnout rather quickly when ministry fulfillment is found in anything other than faithfulness to God's calling.
There are highs and lows to ministry and preaching and leading a worship service, but consciously placing myself in the contours of Scripture does wonders for my ability to be content (and excited) no matter what.
4 comments:
Jared,
Such a simple truth you articulate here, but so needed. As I move into more preaching and teaching I need to remember this. When God is huge in our minds and the minds of our people all the other "stuff" (though it has it's place) find it's proper perspective. Thanks for the reminder.
z
"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ."
When we keep our eyes on him everything else falls into place.
makes a lot of sense to me. to focus on Him and not the other 'stuff' - the how to, details, fillers, etc..... because truly that's what people need to see/hear, right? the other stuff is just superficial -- but people need to see leaders focusing on Him and trusting the Spirit to work aside from superficial "stuff" :)
"consciously placing myself in the contours of Scripture does wonders for my ability to be content (and excited) no matter what."
Humility from the Word. All believers need that desperatly in this age. Paul greets the Colossians and thanks God that the gospel is spreading among them "since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all it's truth." Divine revelation.
When his grace revealed the truth to us, our new faith cried out, "How can we NOT seek him and his ways?" I worry for the people expecting anything but grace and truth in worship or ministry. Their "no matter whats" will kill them.
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