Work from a place of rest.

Hebrews 4:3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.

I love the Lord with all my heart, and I love his people.

There was a point in ministry when all I did was work. There were days I worked over twelve-hour shifts. I went to bed late and woke up at odd hours in the morning to do ministry work. There were days I hardly made time for my family. Taking a step back from ministry, I struggled to find balance. This put a strain on my marriage.

The Lord taught me a better way.

Many believe Jesus only did ministry work. There is evidence that he had downtime. He was in full-time ministry, but also invested time with his disciples and friends and made time to rest.

Jesus lived a balanced life. He desires we do the same.

In Luke 4:27-31, we see that many rejected Jesus' ministry. The crowd demanded Jesus perform miracles. The people who marveled at the miracles he performed wanted to kill him by throwing him off a cliff the moment he said no. It was more entertainment to them. That did not detour him.

Jesus knew his mandate. His ministry was not to earn people’s approval or a living. It was to restore their relationship with God. Man’s request did not move him. Faith moved Jesus and what his Father requested of him.

Ministry should never overwhelm you.

People should never control how we do ministry and serve God. Jesus always made time to be refreshed in the presence of his Father. He slept through a massive storm and was not afraid. He escaped enormous crowds and rested often.

So many of us strive daily to do the work of ministry.

We don’t do ministry to earn finances! We should never neglect time with our children and family. It could potentially cause our marriage to fall apart. When we do, we lose sight of why we do ministry in the first place.

We begin to perform while our home is out of order. Our bodies are prone to illness due to stress. That is not God’s will for our lives.

The Lord is pleased with your work and concerned about your health and family. He did not call you to strife to serve him. He desires you to serve him joyfully.

Do not allow the enemy to rob you of the servant’s heart. God’s kingdom is one of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is not one of striving.

So if you find yourself exhausted or overwhelmed, take a step back and rest in his presence. Allow the Lord to renew your strength. You do not need to perform for him. He does not need you to be overworked. He wants you to rest.