Rest For The Weary

Just one more week until vacation. For most of my ministry I could never afford to take a vacation. Then when I could afford it, I couldn’t find the time. Many of us can relate to this. However, the Lord has begun to show me that the time off is necessary. It is even more necessary that I take my mind on vacation with me, instead of leave it here. Too often I get focused on the Lord and his work, and my mind, my body, and my spirit begin to grow weary. Weariness must be responded to or you will begin to mess up more and more until you damage yourself permanently.

I remember a young preacher in Southern Indiana who was one of the hardest workers I ever knew. He had several kids, he had two jobs, he bought an old church building down by Blue River and reopened it. He seemed tireless in his enthusiasm and determination to accomplish great things for the Lord. Then one day while working on a church project he cut his hand off with a table saw. Oh, did I mention, he played guitar and led worship at his church.

All of the sudden his life changed and he changed with it. Bitterness began to set in. He and his wife began to have trouble. He lost his job with the postal service. His wife got a job to help support the family and starting seeing another man. When word got to us that he was staying in a motel room with his kids, and he had lost his house, wife, car, and everything else in life, Susan and I went to see him and provide help.

He was nothing like the man I used to know. I used to enjoy sitting at his house, drinking coffee and talking about the Bible and our ministries. However, he now was an angry man, despondent and without hope. He looked nothing like the Pastor he used to be. Why? He tried too hard.

We all want to accomplish many things for our God. I even used to go by the motto: I’d rather burn out than rust out. Yet, the Lord has shown me there is a limit to each of us. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Even if our flesh could handle 16 hours a day in ministry, it is far too taxing on our minds and hearts to stay at it continually.

As I felt the breakthrough for which we are all praying drawing closer, I felt myself pushing even harder to see it come to pass. Frustration is the first warning sign that you are operating in your own strength, instead of waiting on the Lord. When I would get these suspicions that I was struggling more than the Lord intended, I would examine the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Rarely, if ever, did he slow down. Rarely did he take a break or a day off. Even on my days off, I would try to work in a ministry activity here are there. I kept making excuses to the Lord why I couldn’t lay it down, forgetting it is his church, not mine. He wanted me to rest and take regular breaks.

I’m not saying we should forsake prayer, fellowship with his Spirit, or time in God’s Word, but we must rest. This rest, as defined by the Word, is to cease from all our labors. Physically this gives your body time to rebuild, and it will become stronger as a result. Spiritually it means leaving the aspects of ministry for a time and focusing on your personal relationship with God and your relationship with your family. This strengthens our relationships and builds bonds of communication between you and the Lord, and between you and your spouse and kids. This can be critical in times of ministry stress.

Having faced my first real season of discouragement, I now am discovering the tools God has given all of us to come back stronger than ever. Amazingly, one of them is simply rest. As I have learned that my body can let me down if I do not take proper care of it, my spirit can also let me down if it does not have regular times of rest and refreshing in the presence of the Lord.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble.

But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

I’ve also discovered that before every time of struggle, if we are listening closely to the Lord, he will warn us of what is about to happen. I have been amazed that when I came to Calvary the Lord began not only showing me what was about to happen, he would also have me announce it in advance to the congregation. This does two things: 1) It shows us that God is already aware of what we are going through and  2) it allows us time to prepare our hearts and minds to patiently endure times of trial.

“I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.”

John 14:29

Even though during these times we might not understand what we are going through, or how it will turn out, we do know that God has instructed us beforehand to trust him and seek him in the midst of the storm. For me, fatigue, weariness, and lack of energy just makes me want to try harder. However, I don’t want to end up causing myself (or others) permanent damage, by pushing through it all without rest.

That’s why this year I’m actually looking forward to vacation. I no longer feel like I am going to regret taking the time away from God’s work. I no longer fear I’ll be farther behind than ever when I return. I feel I will truly be refreshed, be able to enjoy my family, and return with a greater spiritual energy than ever before to move ahead towards revival in our church and community.

As the Lord continues to deal with me about tightening up my weekly schedule and being more disciplined, he is also showing me the importance of including rest in my week. There is definitely a penalty for breaking the Sabbath, you die! There has to be a day of rest each week where you cease from your own labors. The Lord promises me that it is the same as the tithe. If we honor him with a tenth of our earnings, he will greatly expand the remaining ninety percent. If I will honor him with a day of rest, he will make me more productive on the remaining days of the week.

Thanks for patiently listening to the ramblings of the tired old man. Don’t worry though, I truly believe I will return from vacation refreshed, revived, and ready to dig in once again to the work of the ministry here at Calvary. Even if you love the work, you still need rest.

Just remember, when you think you are giving the Lord a hand by working seven days a week, please don’t cut it off in the process.

“For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:30

Calvary Assemblies of God | 720 N Plum St Union City IN 47390 | Pastor Brian P. Jenkins |  (765) 964-3671 | www.calvaryassembliesofgod.org