Connected

"One of those days Jesus went out to

a mountainside to pray,

and spent the night praying to God.

When morning came,

he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them,

whom he also designated apostles:

Simon (whom he named Peter), 

his brother Andrew,

James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas,

James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,

Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot,

who became a traitor."

Luke 6:12-16

Here is a simple quiz you can take to help determine whether you are at risk for burning out on the job or in your ministry:

1.  Do you feel run down and drained of physical or emotional energy?

2.  Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your job or ministry?

3.  Do you find that you are harder and less sympathetic with people than perhaps they deserve?

4.  Do you find yourself getting easily irritated by small problems, or by your co-workers or team?

5.  Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your co-workers or team members?

6.  Do you feel that you have no one to talk to?

7.  Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?

8.  Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?

9.  Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out of your job or ministry?

10.Do you feel there is more work than you practically have the ability to do?

Not only is this a great tool to use to determine whether or not I'm susceptible to burnout, but it is also an excellent way to gauge upon whose strength I am relying.

Jesus always stayed connected to His Father.  Consequently, His mind was always focused on His Father's will.  (Luke 2:49)  His habit of getting away from the task at hand and spending time in prayer with His Father kept Him in touch with the Source of all His power and gave Him an advantage when tackling the day to day frustrations that come with being human.

Wisdom

The world says that wisdom, or the power to judge and discern properly what is true and right, comes with age.  Psalm 111:10, however, says that, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."  Revering and placing God in the highest, most prominent position in my life begins a flow of His wisdom into my mind.  As I get closer to Him, He shows me how to live His way.   

Offering myself as a living sacrifice to God, committing myself to living for Him instead of for me, prompts Him to reveal His will to my transformed mind. (Romans 12:1-2) His way starts to become the preferred way for me.  

So when I'm connected to God and I'm faced with a major decision, my mind will be clear with the option He prepared for me at this time.  

When I'm following His lead and I come to a fork in the road, His preferred route will stand out to me as the clear path to follow.

When I am rightly related to my Father and disaster strikes, my heart will be at peace as He guides me through the steps He has for me.

Staying connected to my Father as Jesus did will give me wisdom to know His will for my life.

Strength

As a young adult, I competed in powerlifting.  As someone who was naturally strong, this sport seemed like a perfect outlet for me.  I ended up going to the Drug-Free Nationals and broke several records for my age group.  I had learned how to gain much physical strength.

But strong muscles do not naturally translate to emotional or spiritual strength.  If I'm physically fit, I am no better prepared to face the stresses and difficulties of life than my out-of-shape counterpart. 

I know a woman who is struggling with the loss of her daughter.  Her child did not die from a terrible disease, or run away from home.  No, this precious 14-year-old girl was abducted from the safety of her own bedroom.  To this day, the mother knows who took her, but not what her fate is.  Even though she is going through every parent's worst nightmare, she has an inner strength few can understand.  Some have called her cold and uncaring, others have assessed that she's in denial, still others wonder if she somehow played a part in this horrible act.  

The truth is, this mother has claimed, "The LORD as my strength and my shield." (Psalm 28:7) She knows from where her help comes (Psalm 121) and Who is the source of that assistance.  (Psalm 46:1-3)

Nineteenth-century clergyman Phillips Brooks put's it all into Kingdom perspective when he advised, "Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger people!  Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers: pray for powers equal to your tasks.  Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle but you shall be a miracle.  Every day you shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has come to you by the grace of God."

Staying connected to my Father as Jesus did will provide an unlimited source of strength to live for Him, no matter what comes my way.

Purpose

John the Baptist never suffered from an identity crisis.  He had been taught from the moment he could understand what his purpose was here on earth: "to make straight the way for the Lord." (John 1:23)  John's purpose was clear and he never wavered from fulfilling that plan until his death by beheading.  (Matthew 14)

Unfortunately, most of us don't know so clearly the plan God has for us.  (Jeremiah 29:11)  Just the fact that a plan exists, however, is enough to give my life meaning.  If, instead, I thought life was a giant cosmic mistake, a series of events that occurred randomly and unintentionally resulted in the complexity that is human life, I would tend to think my life was pretty worthless.  What's the point if there's no greater plan?  

Thankfully, there is a purpose for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and God is the author of that plan!  Knowing there is a reason for my life gives me an impression that I possess value and also gives me a sense that I'm a part of a bigger plan that includes more than just me.  My piece fits into all the other parts and helps to create the whole.  (1 Corinthians 12)

When I put my life into the hands of the Master Artist, He creates a masterpiece.  Solomon poetically penned the thought that, "He has made everything beautiful in its time."  (Ecclesiastes 3:11)  Trusting God with my life means He's already done a beautiful thing, it's just a matter of waiting on the appointed time.  The fact that it will happen is a done deal.

As a child of God through faith in Jesus, I can count on the truth that God is transforming me into the image of His Son.  Continuing to walk in faith by obeying His personal guidance and allowing Him to keep up that transformational work means I'll develop godly desires to do what pleases Him. (Philippians 2:13-14)  This all comes through cultivating my relationship with the God who loves me.

Staying connected to my Father as Jesus did gives me a sense of purpose that guides me confidently through life as I follow His plan.

It's easy to burn out when I'm trying to live my life based on worldly wisdom, by working in my own strength and in creating my own plan for my life.  But endurance will come when I instead stay connected to my Father who dispenses His wisdom through me, gives me the strength I need when I need it and colors my entire life with a sense of purpose and design.  Then I will not only be able to avoid suffering from exhaustion and discouragement but will soar on wings like eagles.  (Isaiah 40)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stay connected to my source of wisdom, strength and purpose.

How do I try to rely on my own strength?

When do I float through my day, bouncing from one thing to another, instead of intentionally living according to His will?

False Strongholds

"Tyre has built herself a stronghold;

she has heaped up silver like dust,

and gold like the dirt of the streets."

Zechariah 9:3

Soldiers who have endured combat rely on their buddies to help them survive.  As they fight the enemy, a bond is formed as they watch out for one another.  They look to each other for help; no one can fight a war alone.

I can never forget that I am involved in a war.  It is not a battle waged against flesh and blood, but a spiritual war.  Satan wants to take God's place and he will do everything in his power to diminish the ranks of the Lord's soldiers.  It is important that I keep this truth in mind as I maneuver my way through life.  It is equally as vital that I remember on whom I can rely.  The psalmist had it right when he said, "I lift my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2)

Take a moment to listen to Casting Crowns sing, "Praise You in this Storm," and meditate on the message of this psalm.  

As much as I want to say I always rely on God to get me through life, I have to admit there are many other fortresses behind which I seek shelter.  Even though I know He is my, "refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble," (Psalm 46:1) I continue to turn elsewhere for help; I rely on false strongholds.

Money

It has been said that money will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not brains; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation--a passport to everywhere but heaven. (Voice in the Wilderness)

I may not have a lot of money, but there are ways that I lean on it as my security.  I listen to the financial gurus who tell me I should carry a certain amount in my savings account in case of emergencies and that I should prepare for retirement.  Experts are constantly bombarding me with information about how to make my money work for me, how to get the most out of my money and where is the best place to invest my money.

It makes me think of "The Beverly Hillbillies," that sitcom from the 60's in which the poor family discovered oil on their property and became sudden millionaires.  They abruptly moved uptown into a mansion, but never really left their backwards, country ways.  The Clampetts gained access to parts of society they were never before allowed to observe, but they really didn't care.  To them, money was not all that important.

If only I could adopt this attitude.  Unfortunately, I often buy into the worldly point of view that money will give me a sense of security and will act as a buffer against hard times.  As all too many people found out when the stock market crashed, hard-earned money is easily lost and is not a wise foundation upon which to base my life.

Jesus taught that, "No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money."  (Matthew 6:24)  If I am depending on money to provide my sense of safety and give me confidence to face the unknown future, I am turning my back on God to fulfill those roles.  Money cannot save me, protect me or sustain me; only God can do that!

Money is a tool that can be used by God, but it is also the most powerful hindrance of my ability to fully trust God.

Education

We are living in an age of education.  I am always hearing the message that education is the key to success and will break the bonds of poverty.  George Washington Carver, a slave who went on to become the president of the Tuskegee Institute and an important scientist, said that, "Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom."  He knew that schooling was the means by which he was able to accomplish so much with his life.

The mistake is when I place my trust in the right degree, believing that my preparation will mean I'll never go without work, always be successful and never need worry.  Unfortunately, all too many people have realized this is not the case.   Education has now reached the point where many diplomas are not worth the paper they're printed on; the quality is decreasing while the cost is increasing.  So many people have earned higher degrees that diplomas have lost their attraction for employers.

Instead of putting my faith in education, I could take the advice of the psalmist who said, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."  (Psalm 111:10)  As I place God in the position He deserves as Lord of my life, respecting Him as the Giver of life and all good things, I will put less and less stock in my level of education and more and more in what's really important.

Jesus taught that I should, "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)  If I pay more attention to what God is doing around me and less toward striving to reach my own personal goals, He will provide for my needs.  Education will never be able to protect me, save me or guide me.

Education can give me knowledge and provide opportunities, but only God can be trusted to guide me and give my life meaning.

Plan

My plan was to go to college, earn a degree and enjoy a successful career.  Reality turned out a bit different.  I went to college, got married, had a child, finished my degree, gave birth to triplets and put my all into motherhood.  I never imagined myself to be a mother.  I never particularly enjoyed children but God knew better. As the wisdom of Solomon reminds me, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

I had a plan for my life, but only God knew the design He had for me!  In His sovereignty, His plan trumps anything I can drum up for myself. If I were to choose, I would have never decided to raise four daughters as a stay-at-home mother.  But God ordained it and it came to pass.

If I put my faith in the plan I have for myself, trusting that if I follow the steps, everything will turn out right, I'm bound to be disappointed.  Instead, if I follow God and trust Him for the path my life will take, I will live a life of hope and peace.  Knowing the One who holds the blueprint for my life has a way of setting my mind at ease when it comes to thoughts of the future.

Trusting in my own plan for my life will lull me into a false sense of security while giving the reigns over to the LORD will lead me down a path of assurance and serenity.

Remembering the truth as I battle through life will give me the ability to continue.  God is my refuge and security.  He is my source of strength.  Only He knows the future and has my life in His hands.  If I put my full faith in Him, I will be able to avoid the false strongholds of money, education and creating my own plans.  Then, I will fully devote myself to God and not focus on my own sense of what I should or should not do and can truly say,

"The Lord is my light and my salvation--

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life--

of whom shall I be afraid?"

Psalm 27:1

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust in God and God alone.

When do I give money too much power in my life?

How do I rely on the plan I've made to get me through the day instead of trusting God for His?