I’ve been in the ministry for over 20 years. For many of those years of serving God and the church, something huge was missing. No more! What is this “thing” that I was lacking?
The answer lies within the story of two of my friends. They have the same “thing” that I had longed for. The problem, I couldn’t find it. At least, not the way I was searching for it.
One friend, is the lead pastor of an awesome church near Houston. We were visiting a few weeks ago and I noticed he had this “thing” that I did not. I’ve known this guy for over 15 years. Truth is, he has always had it, but I had only recently realized that what he had was something that I really wanted.
My other friend is also a minister. He was a passionate pastor and evangelist but had suffered some pretty bad spiritual abuse from pastors and other church leaders. He was a former college football player and the ultimate competitor. He is now confined to a bed with late stages of MS. We spent a few hours together and I noticed that he too had the “thing” that I don’t see in many people. Especially pastors like me.
Both of these guys have what I have always wanted in my ministry. Am I coveting? No. I don’t want their “thing”, I want my own.
As I said, I have been in the ministry for a pretty long time. I have worked hard at it, and God has blessed greatly. I am thankful for my many experiences and life lessons. I am grateful for learning that God deserves our best. I love the many opportunities and the thousands of people God has placed in my path. But even in all of these great things, that “thing” was still missing.
Working hard has never been a problem for me. Long hours, week after week without a day off was routine. When I needed a break, I disappeared for a few days to recharge, then I’d get back to it with full force. My life has been filled with “striving”. Striving to achieve. Striving to please. Striving to be successful. I love to compete. I have run on the performance treadmill for many years. But in all of that busyness for God, I missed something critical for my life. Here is that thing. It’s called REST. Rest with God. How did I finally find it? Actually, it found me.
In starting a church a couple of years ago, I have never worked harder in my life. But something’s different now. And it happened only recently. For the first year and a half of church planting, I did what I knew best: Work hard. Push. Strive. Compete. Perform. It almost killed me. But even in the craziness, of the pace, God heard my prayer and blessed me with my heart’s desire. Yes. Finally. My heart is at rest with God. Doesn’t mean that my days aren’t busy. Many of them are. But now, my heart is at REST with God. It is so totally awesome. It’s so fulfilling to work hard, play hard, and rest in the fact that God is pleased with my day. I don’t have to perform in order to be accepted by Him. I am not in competition with any other pastor or any other church. As long as I am faithful to what God has called me to do today, then my day is successful. He alone is responsible for the fruit of my ministry. I simply need to be faithful to Him.
It is hard to fully describe the joy of resting in Christ! Whew. What a relief. God is pleased with me!
Are you tired of striving? Then Rest. Even in the middle of a busy day, you can find rest in Christ. If you are exhausted in your serving, then you are not resting. If your service for God is burning you out, then you are NOT resting.
Psalm 46:10 - “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
If God is in charge, then I can rest. If He is not in charge, then I’d better get busy performing!
Jesus invited us to come and find rest for our souls. Need rest? Stop trying to please God with your performance and let Him “perform” great things through you as you rest in Him.
I pray that you will find rest for your soul, in the presence of our Amazing Father God!
