Are you getting enough sleep?
Do you dread going into the weekend because you know it will be a long one...or at least you feel like it will be a long one?
Do you feel like you are running around like crazy, trying to keep it all together?
Do you get exhausted just thinking about VBS?
Do you come home and have a hard time unwinding from the day?
Do you toss and turn all night because you are wondering how you are going to keep up with your calendar?
Do you dread being with the children because you can't come anywhere near matching their energy level?
If that's you, what you're experiencing is not unusual in children's ministry.
Look what Paul said about this in Galatians 6:9
"So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."In this verse, Paul gives us 4 keys for not being exhausted in ministry. Let's take a look at it.
1. Don't let the daily grind bring you to the point of exhaustion. Pace yourself. Get into a rhythm that you can maintain long term. Remember you are in a marathon, not a sprint. Run accordingly.
Let's be honest. This doesn't mean you won't occasionally get worn out and just plain tired. VBS week. Camp week. Easter services. But don't live there. Don't dwell there. Create a sustainable pace and work within the boundaries it affords you.
2. Trust God's timing. We can get mentally exhausted when we see little or no fruit coming from our ministry. A seemingly barren time. You begin to feel like your labor is in vain. That no one is coming to Christ. That the kids aren't listening to what you are trying to communicate to them. Very few, if any parents are being reached.
When this happens, don't fret yourself to exhaustion. Trust God. Fruit is coming. Lives are being impacted, but you may not see the fruit from it until years from now.
3. Remember God is the one who brings the harvest. You can't save the world. That job has already been filled. You are simply a messenger that points people to Jesus.
4. Don't quit...you're just around the corner from God's blessings. Don't go backwards. Your best days of ministry are just around the river bend. God has promised in His Word that your labor is not in vain.
If you are reading this and thinking about quitting...don't. God can turn your exhaustion into exhilaration. He can turn your burn out into blessings. He can transform your weariness into words of encouragement. He can transform your disappointment into divine appointments.
Get some rest. Get a pace that will take you the distance. Spend time with Jesus. Take your day off. Use your vacation days.
Paul closes out the verse by saying "Don't give up!"
Say it with me...Don't give up! Don't give up! Don't give up! Don't give up! Don't give you! Don't give up! Don't give up.!
See you at the finish line.
