Re-Charging Your Battery

Our world is a gadget-saturated one, isn't it? It's hard to think about life without a laptop, smart phone, or a tablet. (Even though it wasn't that long ago when these "essentials" were a luxury only a few enjoyed.) As wonderful as these devices are, there is one necessary inconvenience they all have in common: at some point or another, in order to function propoerly they need to be recharged.

And in many of these devices, eventually the battery will lose its ability to be recharged and have to be replaced.

Student ministers expend a lot of energy working with teenagers and their parents. Sometimes ministers reach a point of burnout where they either have to get away from their work for a long period of time or leave the ministry.

Can we avoid this scenario? I think so.

As Christians we have a constant source of spiritual energy at work in our lives in the person of the Holy Spirit, a power that will never leave us. This isn't something we have to ask for, or work to get. If we have been saved by grace through faith, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us. We have God's power as a constant in our lives. God will do His part to minister to our souls. But we have a role to play in making sure our batteries stay charged, as well. We have to take care of ourselves physically and emotionally. Get rest. Find an interest outside your area of ministry. Develop a network of friend and mentors. And rely on God's power to heal and renew you.

Unlike the batteries in all our devices that will one day need to be replaced, God's powersource in us is eternal! 

Do what it takes to put yourself in a position to be in-tune to the renewing work of the Spirit in your life. We can trust that when we do so, we will be recharged spiritually, emotionally, and physically, in order that we might be effective workers in God's Kingdom.