Thursday, October 06, 2005

What I learned on my time away

Though my mind is a little hazy because of the long journey home late last night, I've been reflecting on things. You know, the inside things.


As a pastor there are always things that need to be done. You may think the pastor only works one hour a week, but really, there is just a lot of different things he or she does. I've been busy helping with a lot of things this year.


This has also made it kind of a stressful year.


Doing a lot of "stuff" isn't always great -for a pastor. I mean it's great for Donald Trump or Billy Gates. But when a pastor gets to doing a lot of different things, all at the same time, well he can loose his focus. And when he loses his focus, he forgets what he is suppose to be doing.


It dawned on me that this was the same problem that had happened for the early pastors. There were more and more needs in the early church, which the apostles gave themselves to. They were important things like making sure the widows had food to eat. But that work began to grow and increase to the point where they realized they had forgotten to do the things they were suppose to do. Things like taking time to connect with God, and teaching other people the secrets of God. They realized the problem, and called up some others who could use their abilities to do these "other things."  In the end the widows got cared for in fine fashion, and they were pleased, and the pastors got back to doing the things they were suppose to be doing, things like praying and teaching. So the church grew and expanded and many others found God.


I need to let others do what they do well, and get out of their way. I also need to remember the things I'm suppose to be doing, and do them well.


I may be simple of mind, but this excites me.


The things that bog me down and tire me out, are often the exact things I should be letting other people do.


And the things that I love to do, the reasons I entered into the work, are the things I should be giving my time to.


The more I do the stuff I shouldn't be doing, the more tired and unproductive this place gets to be. The more cranky I become. The more I want to be done.


But when God draws me back to the place of my calling: to pray with people, to teach what I know and have seen, to encourage and love, then there rests in me a sense of fulfillment.


This isn't really rocket science you know, but there are days I have to give my head a shake. I am truly amazed at how easily we become blinded to our own lives and choices. I'm glad there is a way back to clarity, back to God, and he grants the vision to see again what is really there.

3 comments:

  1. Randall,

    Like you have said, it is not rocket science. Being in small town Sask., were there is a do it yourself culture, I find that it is easy to take the whole of the church on. If only trusting others to get God's work done was easier. The thing is that it takes trust in God. You are preaching to the choir! Keep it up!

    Chris T.

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  2. Randall, a little quote I ran across last week:



    The one thing you need to know about individual sustained success ... find out what you do not like doing and stop doing it.

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  3. I liked this statement... "I need to let others do what they do well, and get out of their way." We also need to stand aside and give others have the chance to find out what they do well in the first place. Sometimes we really don't know till we try.



    I started teaching Sunday School because no one else would do it. I didn't think it was my thing. I thought the usual people would do it. (You know, the pastor or his wife, or the elders or their wives...) They didn't. If they had I would have missed out on one of the biggest blessings in my life. I found out teaching Sunday School was TOTALLY my thing. I'm so glad the usual people were too busy that time...



    When we say yes to things all the time and become the people in the church who do everything we cheat others as much as we cheat ourselves.

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