How To Rediscover Your Joy In Ministry2/15/2024 
Have you ever had a season of ministry that completely drained you?
Have you ever had times when you feel like you have lost your joy? A couple of years ago, we were feeling this strain. I won’t go into the details that were covered in the last blog, but we had taken on lots of extra work to keep a ministry open. This drained our energy leaving us physically and mentally fatigued. That season of ministry forced me to look for more energy and more strength. It also forced me to carefully evaluate what things might be draining my strength. I learned a lot about myself through that season and was able to rediscover my joy in the ministry. I pray that these thoughts will encourage you to do the same! Why did I feel drained? When I evaluated why we felt so drained, one reason was the ministry was not in our area of gifting. Have you noticed this about yourself? When a ministry is in your area of gifting, even when the hours are long it is still energizing (to a point). This is a good thing! It is energizing to use the gifts that God gives us. However, when a ministry is outside your area of gifting, 1 hour seems like 2, and 8 can seem like 16! Areas outside of our gifting are naturally more draining. We should try to lean into our gifting, however, not every area of our ministry will be in our gifting. Remember Moses when God told him to go speak to Pharaoh? Moses tried to play the “not my gifting” card… and God was unimpressed. Whenever God sets things before us that are outside of our gifting or that are too much for us to accomplish, He wants us to rely more on His grace and strength so that He gets the glory. So where do we find strength? Joy. Nehemiah 8:10 says: “the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Isaiah 12:2 reminds us: “the Lord God is my strength and my song” If we lose our joy, we lose our strength. How does joy give strength? Joy gives energy. When we enjoy something it energizes us. It is fulfilling. But what about when it is not in our gifting? If our only source of joy and strength is using our gifting, we are in trouble. It is easy to begin finding our joy primarily in using our gifts and in the ministry, and not in God Himself. It’s not wrong to find joy in using our gifts or doing things for God, but that can’t be our only source of joy. As I evaluated my heart, God challenged me with this truth: I must find my joy in God, not just the ministry.
Dual-Voltage Adaptors
We need to be able to get power from multiple sources. We need to be like a dual-voltage adaptor. Once when living in South Africa I was in a hurry and forgot to use the transformer. I accidentally plugged a 110V battery charger into a 220V wall socket. Let’s just say, things didn’t end well. The charger made a massive POP and then shut off. The burnt smell confirmed the worst, I had fried its electronics. The charger couldn’t handle the voltage because it was a single-voltage adaptor. Unlike many charges that are dual-voltage (110V-220V), this charger could only operate on 110V. In the same way, we are like that single-voltage adaptor when we can only operate in our gifting. We blow our circuits when God gives us tasks outside our gifting. To change this, we need to be able to draw power in different ways. We need to be like a dual-voltage adaptor. It is ok to be energized and find strength in our gifting, but we also need to find it outside our gifting. We need to find our strength in God, not just the ministry. In this blog, we will be focusing on three areas where we can find joy. Meditating on these truths will help you rediscover your joy in the Lord…even when we are outside our gifting, even when we face trials. Rediscovering your joy will renew your strength! To make this easier to remember the three key areas, we will compare them to the parts of an electrical power cord (extension cord).
1. THE INPUT - Source: Joy in the source of our power, God Himself. Joy in God’s PERSON, not in circumstances. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 When our joy is based on God’s person, it never changes. Even if circumstances are difficult, our source of joy doesn’t change. That is why we can have joy always. It is why we can “rejoice in the Lord always”. Our joy is based on who He is, the awesome God of creation. It is based on knowing Him as a person. Paul said: “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” Philippians 3:8 We must stay connected to Him at all times or we will run dry. Like Peter, we must focus on the Lord, not the waves or problems. Don’t take your eyes off the Lord! We must love the Master more than the ministry. It is so important that we stay focused on God and connected to Him as our source of power. Whenever our ministry trumps the Master, our power will quickly fail! Joy in God’s PROVISION. “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 When our joy is focused on our salvation, it can’t be taken away. However, when we focus on circumstances rather than our position, we will lose our joy. You are a citizen of heaven. That will never change. When things aren’t going as we desire, what is our focus? Is our focus on our position in this life? Our possessions? OR, are we awaiting our Savior? If we are awaiting our Savior, then our eyes will be focused on Him. Our greatest desire will be to be with Him. Being with Him will be the joy of our hearts and looking forward to that will give us strength and hope. Joy in God’s POWER, not ours. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 When our joy is in our sufficiency, God will constantly remind us of our need for him. Even when we are relying on Him, He will put obstacles in our way that show us and others that He alone is our strength and power. We can have absolute confidence that whatever He gives us to do, He will also give us the power to do. It’s ok that we feel “we can’t”! Feeling that we don’t have the strength is the place where we begin to truly rely on His strength and not our own. It’s when we truly begin to rely on His provision and not ourselves. Joy in God’s PRESENCE, not the absence of problems. “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7 Jesus’ last words, “I am with you always”, remind us of His continual presence. This is meant to give us peace, power, and joy. He will never leave us. When God spoke to Joshua, He told him the same thing. Here was the response God wanted from Joshua based on His presence: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 Because God was with Joshua, God wanted him to be strong and courageous. Strength and courage come with God’s presence! Like a father protecting a small child and giving them courage and strength when he is by their side, God does that for us. He is always with us! 2. THE CORD - CONDUCTOR: Joy in the path we are taking. Joy in God’s PATH, not sin’s. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Philippians 2:12-16 “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us... our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.” Philippians 3:17, 20-4:1 Whenever we choose the path of sin, we cut ourselves off from His power and presence in our lives. We damage that relationship and the flow of His power is hindered in our life! Are there areas of your life where you are allowing sin to remain? Let God push those areas of sin out of your life! Battle against those areas so that they will not gain strength in your life and squelch the power of the Holy Spirit in you. Sin drains our energy because it cuts us off from the power of God! 3. THE OUTPUT - DESTINATION: Joy in what is being accomplished. Joy in God’s PLAN, not our plan. “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear…What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:12-14, 18-20 When Paul’s plans were failing, where did he find hope and courage? In God’s plan! Even beyond joy in God’s power, joy in God’s plan gives hope. There is hope that He will get us through. This gives us confidence and courage that we will get through. Joy in God’s PERFECTING WORK in Us “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 James tells us we should take joy in our trials. In other words, the trigger for joy is trials. How different this is from our natural tendency! Instead of trials robbing us of joy, they are a cause for joy. Trials don’t feel joyful, so how can they cause joy? By focusing on what God is doing through the trials: “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” When God allows trials into our lives He is working on us. He is conforming us to His image. He is helping us to become “perfect and complete”. During our recent trials, God has reminded me of this truth: Joy gives strength. As Nehemiah 8:10 says: “the joy of the LORD is your strength”. Not only can we find joy and strength in focusing on the person of God, we can also find joy in focusing on the plan of God: what He is doing in and around us. When joy is gone, we wither. But when we have joy, we find new strength. Amazingly, if we find joy in trials, rather than our joy diminishing under trials, our joy should increase! Each trial is a cause for joy, which means each trial adds joy. That is strength! That is endurance! We can be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Like an athlete takes joy in exercising to get strong, even if it is difficult, we can take joy in trials because it is making us stronger. By changing our perspective and seeing each trial as a means of God’s gracious work in our life to strengthen us and change us into His image, to store up eternal rewards, and to reveal more of Himself to us, we can count trials as a joy, even when they are hard. Even while praying for God to remove a trial we can find joy in what He is doing through the trial. God is at work. Will we have joyful confidence that He is at work? Will we “count it all joy”? “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 Joy in God’s PROMISE “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Philippians 1:21-23 God promises reward. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 Don’t settle for the temporal reward of comfort, pursue eternal reward! Don’t settle for temporal joy, pursue eternal joy. Whatever you set your mind on and pursue becomes your treasure and joy. Serve the Lord Christ for future reward! Joy in God’s PLEASURE, not serving our own personal interests. “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 2:19-21 Another way to say this is: joy in serving God. When we serve God, we aren’t doing it to build our own personal kingdom or to be noticed by others so we get recognition. Also, we aren’t doing it just to use our gifts, we are doing it to serve the Lord. The destination here is pleasing God, that is what is being accomplished! Sometimes, God calls us to serve in an area that is outside of our gifting so it may naturally drain us. Where will we gain the strength then? No matter WHAT we do, we can find joy in WHO we serve. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 We work for the Lord. We do it from love to God, not the deed we are doing. Our focus is on the Lord and serving Him. Conclusion We find our strength not just in our gifting, but in the Lord as He fills us with joy in Him and serving Him by serving others. Serving in the area of our gifting is great, but don’t let that be your primary source of strength and power. Our true source of power must be much deeper than that! Opportunities to serve others are opportunities for Him to flow through us. If we do it in our strength, it will deplete our physical, mental, and emotional energy very quickly. We must draw on His supernatural strength to serve in the strength He supplies. Love is using energy, time, and resources to help others. If we do it from our love to God we draw new energy. "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11 The primary goal is serving God and others, not just using our gifting. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 We must not too narrowly define our gifting, only do things in our gifting. Doing so will cause us to miss opportunities to serve. When God calls us to serve outside of our gifting it makes us even more dependent on God’s power instead of our gifting. He also gets all the credit. Moses was a poor public speaker and God called him to lead a nation but promised to be his mouth. God would be his strength even if it was outside his gifting. Not everything is in our gifting. That being said, we can only do so much. We can’t do everything (remember what Jethro told Moses about trying to do too much and needing to delegate). Find your joy in serving God, not just using our giftings. Giftings are energizing, but we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. We must draw our strength FROM Him and serve FOR Him. Even when we are using our giftings, do the same thing! Use your gifting, but don’t depend on your giftings! Depend on the strength that God supplies. Serve first with your life, then with your gifting. Be like a dual-voltage adaptor. Find your strength in the LORD first and your gifting second. As you do, you will rediscover your joy and find new power and strength each day to face whatever God calls you to do! Questions for Reflection: What is my source of joy? Am I focused on finishing tasks or on what the tasks accomplish (serving God and others)? Serving together, Kyle
Share this
More to follow..
This blog is part of a series that will unpack how to work smarter and do more in your work or ministry. It will help you be more effective and efficient in life and leadership
PREVIOUS POSTS IN SERIES: NEXT POSTS: Don't miss new posts! Signup below. |
Kyle's BOOK
*As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through the Amazon links on our site. This helps cover the cost of our website. We only recommend products and books that we or podcast guests have found personally beneficial!
TOPICS |
Leave a Reply.