Pastoring a church with so many in recovery, I see people who switch addictions; and if not careful, the damage can be just as devastating.
From you perspective' how can we encourage people to love Jesus passionately without falling into the trap becoming addicted to ministry?
This is a tough one sometimes for addicts. There are people who have a need to attach themselves to things without having balance.
ReplyDeleteI think our responsibility is to teach balance in the lives of believers. This is God's order of Life that we teach consistently.
*1st Personal Relationship w/God
*2nd Marriage/most important human relationship you have
*3rd Family/Kids
*4th Ministry/Career
Keep the balance and it keeps your spiritually, mentally & physically healthy
Balance, Eddie I have searched for that elusive thing for quite some time. What I have found is that balance is a moving target. Life continually changes around us so therefore we must adapt with those changes to ensure that balance is achievd on some level. I preached recently at my church that all of us have unique roles that we play that nobody else can. Those roles (I.E. husband to your wife, father to your kids etc.) are the ones we should give priority in our lives to. The roles others can play, let others play them if need be.
ReplyDeleteAddiction: Now there's a word I am familiar with very personally. I have been clean 8 and a half years from years of addiction. In 2001 I had the wonderful priviledge of writing a relapse prevention from a Biblical perspective. In the work I discovered one main thing Everything must be done through God's word!! We must begin to see God through His word not the "World's made up deity. We must see ourselves through God's word, and we must see and treat others through God's word. In other words We must stay in God's word and begin to live according to God's word, and when we do things will be much better. Notice I said better not easier. Swithcing addictions is a way to continue to hide without being "found out" We must learn to love the person, but if possible find out what hurts so bad, that they can't let God see it and "heal" it. We can become addicted to anything, the question has to be why are we becoming addicted? Then we can begin to help, lead, and direct.
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