Feature
Avoiding Ministry Burnout Using Christ’s Experience
Angela Poch
07/10/2017
Health ministry, along with all forms of evangelism, can take a toll on our own health. So how do we stay fit, both physically and emotionally? Let’s take a lesson from our Master, Jesus. “His life was one of constant self-sacrifice.” “His compassion knew no limit.” “What a busy life He led!” (The Ministry of Healing, pp. 19, 17, 24. ) Jesus worked hard and long, even late into the night. Did he get physically tired? Of course. Emotionally tired? No question. So how did He avoid burnout? “Not until the last sufferer had been relieved did Jesus cease His work. It was far into the night when the multitude departed… The long, exciting day was past, and Jesus sought rest. But while the city was wrapped in slumber, the Saviour, ‘rising up a great while before day,’ ‘went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.’ Mark 1:35” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 29).
Jesus rejuvenated, not by only by sleep, but by prayer, sometimes forfeiting sleep for prayer. “The Saviour’s life on earth was a life of communion with nature and with God. In this communion He revealed for us the secret of a life of power” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 51). Jesus took time for nature and for building a relationship with his Father.
“He found recreation amidst the scenes of nature, gathering knowledge as He sought to understand nature’s mysteries. He studied the word of God, and His hours of greatest happiness were found when He could turn aside from the scene of His labors to go into the fields, to meditate in the quiet valleys, to hold communion with God on the mountainside or amid the trees of the forest. The early morning often found Him in some secluded place, meditating, searching the Scriptures, or in prayer. With the voice of singing He welcomed the morning light” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 52). We hear about prayer, song, and Bible study, but nature is often undervalued by those who are busy. More and more studies are being done on “green zones” and how these tiny pockets of nature impact the health and mental wellness of people. Outdoor activities in nature are helpful for all kinds of disorders and disease. To learn more, visit www.BodyMindHealth4u.com for the free course “Optimal Health,” whose principles are backed by hundreds of scientific references.