Not everyone who starts something for God completes his or her assignment.
I know as many people who used to work with kids than people who have always worked with kids. What happened? The reasons and excuses are limitless.
There have been times through the years that I’ve thought about making a vocational change. But I haven’t. It’s one thing to think about it, it’s another thing to act on it.
Did you know even people in the Bible had thoughts like these? Look at Jeremiah 9:2, “Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers, a crowd of unfaithful people.”
Do you hear what Jeremiah is saying? Oh to run a Holiday Inn in the middle of nowhere so folks will check in and check out and I want have to deal with them on an ongoing basis. Discouragement not only comes at Children’s Pastors it also comes at your workers. I hear it every week! I need a break. I would like to take a short leave of absence. (Leave of absence is code for I quit!) God is leading me to another ministry or to another church and last but not least, they say the “B” word. I am burnout!
Burnout is not a part of God’s plan. Nobody starts out intending to burnout.
Somewhere along the journey people forget about the beginning. They loose their excitement, their hope; they let go of their dreams and loose sight of God’s vision for their life. How do you keep the new from wearing out on a ministry? Do what the Word says, keep yourself stirred up. 2 Timothy 1:6 says “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
Jim,
ReplyDeleteGreat article. As I read it, I kept thinking about plants and flowers. Now, I am not an avid gardener, but I know that if you want your plants and flowers to grow stronger year after year, you have to prune them. Sometimes that means cutting off a wonderful flower before it is dead just so that the plant can get stronger and produce more beautiful flowers the next year.
I've been through this myself recently as I had to walk away from some things I really love (at least for a while). I had to walk away from things which I still feel were great avenues and helpful. But, I had to prune those branches and focus on the most important things to get stronger in the end.
I think the key to avoiding burnout is learning how to smell the smoke before the engine blows. Slowing down involves tough choices and a lot of prayer, but the reward is a lifetime of serving God.
Thanks again for the article. As always, it got me thinking! :)
Wayne, thanks again for stopping by and leaving a comment! I agree slowing down involves tough choices but they are wise ones too!
ReplyDeleteblessings my friend