September 4

“When you become aware of a need, do not automatically assume God wants you to meet it.  The only reason to perform ministry is that God clearly tells you it is His will.  If you are feeling overwhelmed by all that you are doing, you are probably doing more than God has asked.”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, 9/2

This tells me that my relationship with God has to be a vital, day-to-day one.  I can’t just show up on Sunday and say, “Here I am, Lord, use me.”  If I’m to hear God clearly I have to know His voice.  I have to be in His Word and in prayer.  But even more than all that my heart needs to be right with God, otherwise my motives for “doing good” will be all wrong, and I can easily be led astray to do “good” things that God does not intend for me to do.  Too often we get in the way of what God is doing in someone else’s life in an attempt to help them.  Another thing that Blackaby’s words have brought to my attention is the problem of burnout.  This can happen even when we start out in God’s will.  It’s when we don’t get others involved that it begins to burden us.   Perhaps we don’t feel like anyone else can do as good a job as we can, or we’re afraid they will try to change the way we want things to be done.  Or perhaps no one is stepping up to offer us help.  Having been in all of those situations in the past I now know that if I start any new ministry in a church I must not start it alone.  If others do not join me, then I must question whether it is God’s will and wait until I'm sure.

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”  Matthew 18:19, 20