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You are not the only one who often feels overwhelmed, it goes with the calling to Spiritual Leadership. I’m not sure the overwhelming feeling toward an impossible and undoable task ever goes away, but the rest comes in trusting God to accomplish through us what we could never accomplish without his help.
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Learning the Unforced Rhythms of Grace
We are participating in a missions emphasis week at Glad Tidings Church in Muncie, Indiana with three other missionaries. First, we are missionaries, in the sense of our definition, but the realization of such is emerging. I simply see my situation as one of changing the location of what we’ve done all along. Perhaps we were always missionaries and now we are missionaries in a different place, in Africa instead of the United States.
It helps to know that we are not the only ones who feel and experience what we experience
For all of us, In intimate settings, when we feel comfortable to open up our hearts, we find our experiences to be common. As I listen to the hearts of some other people who are attempting to give their lives to the will and call of God, I’ve renewed my understanding that the things I suffer, the things that hurt, the challenges that cause anxiety to peak, are common.
Here are some well-known verses from the Bible that remind us we are on a common journey accomplishing uncommon things.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” James 1.2-3 ESV
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10.13 ESV
It helps to know that feeling overwhelmed is part of the journey.
Feeling overwhelmed by our calling or task is common. Jesus addresses this with his disciples as he prepares them for the anxiety they will face.
“We are intimately linked in this harvest work. Anyone who accepts what you do, accepts me, the One who sent you. Anyone who accepts what I do accepts my Father, who sent me. Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being God’s messenger. Accepting someone’s help is as good as giving someone help. This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small. Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty, for instance. The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice. You won’t lose out on a thing.” Matthew 10.40-42 MSG
- We are linked in this work
- We each have an equal part in this work
- This is BIG but don’t be overwhelmed
- Start small, because it isn’t the magnitude of the work that counts
It helps to know that Jesus has a solution for the anxiety of his disciples.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11.28-30 MSG
…and you’ll recover your life…
- Come to me.
- Get away with me.
- Watch how I do it.
- LEARN the unforced rhythms of grace.
- I won’t put anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
- Keep company with me and you will LEARN to live FREELY and LIGHTLY.
Finally…
You are not the only one who often feels overwhelmed, it goes with the calling to Spiritual Leadership. I’m not sure the overwhelming feeling toward an impossible and undoable task ever goes away, but the rest comes in trusting God to accomplish through us what we could never accomplish without his help.
We are looking for the unforced rhythms of grace. I cannot say we have found them yet, but we know where to look. They are found in learning to “abide” or live in Christ (John 15).
Coming to Christ and learning from him is the most important part of the journey.
