Written By TWFT
Wednesday, September 13
“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Pr 20:6 NIV
Pastor Roland Croucher writes: “The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…’playing it safe’ to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).” Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means (a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus, (b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, (c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, (d) never taking your position for granted, (e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, (f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven, (g) having a servant’s heart, (h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and (i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. Practice these principles and you won’t burn out.
Wednesday, September 13
“Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?” Pr 20:6 NIV
Pastor Roland Croucher writes: “The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I’d never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months I had resigned my ministry…Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include…a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality…lack of boundaries…workaholism…feelings of incompetence…conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time…’playing it safe’ to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners…and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).” Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means (a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus, (b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, (c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, (d) never taking your position for granted, (e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, (f) knowing that you’re fulfilling God’s will and your reward is laid up in heaven, (g) having a servant’s heart, (h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and (i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. Practice these principles and you won’t burn out.
Posted in Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
March
HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE?DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (1)DON'T BREAK, BOUNCE BACK (2)KNOW WHEN TO LET GOPUT AWAY THE MEASURING STICKCONNECT, COMMIT, COMMUNICATEUSE YOUR IMAGINATIONCONSULT GOD ON YOUR DAILY TO-DO LISTBEARING SPIRITUAL FRUITHOW GOD SEES YOUBORN TO BELIEVE (1)BORN TO BELIEVE (2)ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULPUT GOD BETWEEN YOURSELF AND THE FOE"FORGIVE THEM" AND DELETE ITBE TRUE TO THE SCRIPTURESTHE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (1)THE KIDS ARE WATCHING YOU (2)IF YOU'RE A LEADER, READ THISPRAYER AND YOUR RASLEARN TO SAY NOYOU CAN LEARN TO LOVEALWAYS AGREE WITH GOD'S WORD
April
BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (1)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (2)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (3)BECOME WILLING TO CHANGE (4)REJOICE - DAY FORTY-ONE IS COMINGPASTOR, KEEP YOUR SWORD SHARPDON'T BURN OUT (1)DON'T BURN OUT (2)THE WAITING STRATEGYRESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (1)RESOLVE CONFLICT QUICKLY (2)HELP FOR CAREGIVERS
2024
January
A NEW YEAR, A NEW STARTTHIS YEAR, DO FIRST THINGS FIRSTNEVER STOP LEARNING (1)NEVER STOP LEARNING (2)GET OUT OF DEBT AND STAY OUT OF DEBTDON'T BE SO CONTROLLINGTHE SEVEN-DAY CHALLENGEPARENT, KEEP PERSEVERINGTURNING TWO FAMILIES INTO ONEPUT YOUR HEART INTO YOUR PARTFOUR PRINCIPLES FOR VICTORIOUS LIVINGTAKE CONTROL OF THE SMALL THINGSDON’T GIVE UPLEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (1)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (2)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (3)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (4)SET OTHER THINGS ASIDE AND SERVEGOD AND WORKHOW TO ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS