Over the past few articles I’ve been trying to emphasize the point of BEING vs. DOING. Here are seven things I want you to know.
First, the goal of a transformed life is intimacy with God, not ministry. Mike Palompo explains this in his book God Things. This was a huge paradigm shift for me after doing twenty years of ministry. A great biblical example is Mary, who sat at Jesus’ feet choosing the one thing that was necessary, while Martha busied herself with preparations.
Second, through intimacy with God, you learn you are wholly accepted by the Lord. God accepted us before we were even acceptable (another thing I learned from Palompo). This is even before we do any ministry. Jesus had not done any ministry prior to His baptism yet the Father said He was well pleased with His Son. The thief on the cross was fully accepted by Jesus even though he couldn’t do anything.
Third, similar to the second point, through intimacy you learn you are fully significant in the Lord’s eyes. Because we were created by God, we find our value and significance in the Lord. Some people try to find significance through their actions, wanting to leave a mark on the world before they pass away. But true significance is found in who we are, not in what we do.
Fourth, through intimacy with God, you learn your calling. When you spend time with Him on a consistent basis, you begin to recognize His voice. This is why being in the Word and in prayer is so important. Through this time you sense the tuggings of the Holy Spirit to step out in a certain direction. As you obey the Lord, He continues to guide you towards your calling.
Fifth, it’s necessary to be still and know He is God. Here’s one of the ironies I see in ministry…a lot of busy people doing ministry and serving the Lord, but they get easily offended, upset, angry, and territorial. I see a lot of people doing ministry but they can’t find time to meet with the Lord. One of the things I’ve heard Dr. Bobby Clinton say over and over again, “Ministry flows out of being.” In other words, ministry flows out of your character, and your character starts with a strong relationship with God. Therefore, it’s vitally important to be still and spend time with the Lord. This helps to recalibrate your thought, heart and actions.
Sixth, as you are doing ministry, remember to take your Sabbath. A wise person once told me, “There will always be ministry.” In other words, no matter how much you do, there will always be more to do. God knew this which is why He created the Sabbath so that those who serve learn how to rest. Without regular breaks, ministry will consume you to the point where it can become your god. This is how leaders burn out.
Seventh, Jesus is the Savior, not you. One of the reasons leaders burn out is because they believe they need to save the world. I once heard a pastor say, “As long as there is one unchurched person in my city, my work is not done.” That pastor eventually hit rock bottom and had to find another line of work. When you believe you need to save the world, Jesus is no longer the Savior and you take the place of the Messiah. That means you have the mentality that everything depends on you. Always remember Jesus saves, not you.
Sometimes we don’t have good leaders who last because their emphasis is on DOING rather than BEING.
Questions to Think About:
Are you trying to find your acceptance and significance in things other than God?
Are you so overwhelmed with ministry for God that you don’t have time to be with God?
© Gary Lau 2013
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