Taking Stock

From time to time, I find it necessary to stop, step back and consider what we are doing and where we are going. What initially prompted (forced) me to take that step back a while ago and look at things was busy-ness. I was busy about many things in the store, busy about responsibilities in other parts of the ministry, busy about career and so many other things and not quite as busy as needed as a husband and father of three-and that too is full time work.

When we begin to do work, especially in ministry, we can become overwhelmed with a self-imposed “higher calling” that begins to take on a form of bondage that ultimately leads to burnout, a lack of creativity and faded passion.

How did I get here? I was working for the church, I was involved…how could this be? There was a lot wrong and it all came full circle on my deck, cooking on the grill. Things had not been going well. Our sales seemed stagnant, I felt like I wasn’t making any progress, I was in the store for 12 to 13 hours a day, we had 6 services a week, I was traveling, and it just went on and on. Not to mention, I started to wonder if my leaders were happy with me anymore. In the midst of all this, my grandfather had passed and I needed to go out of town and be with family. When I returned a few days later, I got some news that really hurt me deeply. How could I be experiencing this type of hurt, pain and uncertainty at work…at church?  It caused me to stop and that night, in front of the grill, I began to see what I had been to busy to see up to that point. My priorities were all wrong. I had placed my work at the ministry as the number one priority in my life, after all, I was working for the Lord this way, wasn’t I? I was going to church but I wasn’t going to church. You know present but unaccounted for? After awhile, I began to find more reasons to stay in the store and get ready for the next crowd. It wasn’t until I was frustrated and empty that I went home early and decided to cook on the grill. That’s when I came face to face with my mirror; that’s when I had to take stock. I was still and quiet just flipping burgers unsure why all of this was happening and God showed me my busy-ness and how I had exalted my position above Him, above my family and taking care of the “needful things”.  I was just going… and going in the wrong direction. I had to re-order myself. That night, I placed God back on the throne where He belonged and realized that the family I was cooking for needed their husband and father back. God needed me to re-ignite my passion for Him, not the works and consequently, the passion for the store, creativity and a bigger vision was born.

How about you? Why are you doing what you’re doing? Are your priorities where they ought to be? What about your family, where do they rest in the scheme of things? Finally, what about you? Are you burned out, on the edge and just “present” or are you somewhere in between? I challenge you to take stock this month. Look in the mirror and see yourself as you are then see the man or the woman you are to be.

David