Fri
Aug 20
2010
Bishop David deFreese
Nebraska Synod, ELCA
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not rely on your own understanding … it will be healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.” (Proverbs 3:5,8)
Two weeks ago, Aug. 2, the Omaha World-Herald carried a story from the New York Times under the headline: “Stressed-out clergy on call 24/7 in need of own Sabbath day.” The article articulated that clergy health has been declining in this last decade and that the stresses are adding tremendous physical challenges to the work of ministry. “The findings have surfaced with regularity over the past few years and with little notice: Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension, and depression at rates higher than most Americans.” While this is not surprising to any of us who are serving in ministry, the goodness of this article was that it reminded our society of how important it is for all to practice healthy lifestyles. The focus of this particular article talked about the need for Sabbath … a day of rest and re-creation.
As summer is ending, and our routines return to the hectic pace of programming, visitations and ministry tasks … I believe it is important to once again encourage all of our ministry leaders to be wise! God has gifted you with an important responsibility in work, a life to be cherished and the days to express your faith. Please be wise in the usage of the body that you were given, the mind that you have opportunity to grow and the emotions that are real and impact our physical and mental capabilities. God has called you to important work … please take care of “the machinery” so that you might do that work well.
Some simple reminders:
Recognize your own vulnerability. One of the experts in the article articulated, “These people tend to be driven by a sense of duty to God to answer every call for help from anybody and they are virtually called upon all the time, 24/7.” Understand your limitations and be honest about them. Be willing to share the truth of this with others who understand and care.
Manage your time well! This continues to be an important area of growth for many of our leaders. They work hard but they do not always work smart. Please work at good time management practices. Be careful of things that take up time that are not essential or important. Be wise about the layout of your days.
Do hard work balanced with life-giving work. Make sure that there are things that also give you life in the midst of the challenges and difficulties. To live in conflict consistently drains the mind, body, and spirit … understand the need to do things that give you hope and joy. Seek them out to be balanced with those things that are hard.
Set priorities to your work! The demands of others, the details of some responsibilities, the confusion of “people work” can drain you from being about that which is essential for the good of the kingdom. Strive to prioritize the usage of your time and efforts. What truly helps God’s kingdom to grow?
Recognize interruptions for the ministry they are. I used to get so frustrated with the interruptions that kept me from doing work I thought I should … until I realized that many of the interruptions were the work that God had called me to do. The interruptions usually have to do with relationships that are so essential to ministry. Have a right spirit toward the interruptions that are important.
Sabbath! Recognize your own need for Sabbath. To allow the machinery to be refreshed and rejuvenated. One of the experts in the article articulated: “They think that taking care of themselves is selfish and that serving God means never saying no.” Be wise about your need for Sabbath. God is the one who designed Sabbath into our lives.
Be on a wellness plan! Set up and follow a daily regiment that helps you to be healthy in body, mind, and soul. Get the exercise you need, the intellectual stimulation necessary, and the spiritual growth that is essential.
Take time for daily devotions, Bible reading and prayer. If we are alive to God’s calling, we will take time to listen to the calling and to nourish our walk with God.
Remember to laugh! As the stresses compound, humor is a gift from God that helps us to see our frailty, our vulnerability, and our true reliance upon God’s grace.
May you be blessed, my dear friends, as you live wisely! Thank you for the ministry that you do!
Several years ago I spent a weekend at the Benedictine Mission House in Schuyler on a retreat entitled, “Experience the Life of a Monk for a Weekend.” That’s exactly what the weekend was! And what I experienced was how peaceful and whole lives can be, not when they are cloistered, but when they strive for spiritual balance. The monks spoke about how they embrace the ancient saying of St. Benedict, “ora et labora,” meaning “prayer and work.” When the bell rang, telling them it was time to pray the Daily Office, then they would set aside the tools of their labor, and walk to the oratory for prayer. When it was time to work, they would immerse themselves in that labor. And when it was time to rest, they would commend their lives to God and relax.
This weekend changed my life! It has helped me seek and maintain balance in my ministry, and to know when I have gotten off-kilter, when a part of my life is out of balance with the rest of my life.
If you are looking for a tiny resource to help guide you in seeking and maintaining spiritual balance in your life, I’d recommend “The Rule of St. Benedict.” This way may seem daunting, but as St. Benedict writes, “What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace” (RB, Prologue 41).
Blessings,
Pastor David Frye