Weary in the Work

I have, what is called today, a compulsive personality. While I am not an alcoholic, there have been other sins in my life with which I have struggled, tremendously. Maybe you can identify with me. One of the areas which has been a problem for me is ministry, rather, over-committing myself to people and projects for which I have a passion. As a result, I get overtired, weary in the work, and ineffective. 

I will confess that, at this point, I am still working on this problem. I have taken on too much and it is showing itself in weariness of soul and body, and in a lack of intimacy in my relationship with Olive. If getting myself into this state is not a sin, it is certainly very unwise.  

To address this issue properly, I must take a hard look at the root causes of my unwillingness to say ‘no’. The first root is fear of hurting someone’s feelings. Another root is an ungodly desire for the praise of men. Still another root is unrealistic expectations of how much I can handle. There may be more but let us start with these. 

The first two roots are sins of which I need to repent. It is a sin to fear men. Proverbs 29:25 says the fear of man is a snare. We are to fear God and only serve Him. The other root, an ungodly desire for the praise of men, is also sin. We are to seek our “well done” from God alone. To seek praise from men is pride, and that is from the devil. Finally, it is simply unwise to assume that I do not have limits on my time, and my physical, mental, and emotional abilities. This too is rooted in pride. As you can see, I have a lot from which I need to repent. 

Jesus was never in a hurry; He never overcommitted Himself, yet He accomplished everything the Father wanted Him to do (John 17:4). This brought His Father glory. When we get burned out and weary in the work, we are not effective. We do not do our work with excellence. This does not bring the Father glory. 

So, what am I going to do? I will repent of my pride, fear of man, and ask the Lord Jesus to help me to serve Him, not myself or men. I will ask Him to direct my schedule and give me the wisdom and courage to say “no.” I will learn to abide in Jesus, so that I can follow through with all this. 

If you identify with my situation, may I ask, “What are you going to do?”