Ministry Monday: Overcoming Obstacles

Rick Warren tweeted today:

"Never trust your emotions on Monday morning, especially if you serve on a church staff."
Oh, how true that statement is. However, for me it would be more accurate to say, "Never trust your emotions on Saturday night, especially if you serve on a church staff!" It never fails that on Saturday night, I will have some sort of crisis and emotional breakdown, resulting in a sleepless night. The biggest obstacle I face in my ministry is my own anxiety!

I have faced a lot of obstacles in my current position, some big and some small. All of these obstacles are attempts by Satan to sabotage the future of my church as well as my ministry in general. He wants to keep me feeling jaded and unuseful. He wants to keep me feeling inadequate and unsure, and he wants to keep me doubting that I have heard God's voice regarding each situation.  I'll admit that he has been somewhat successful. He stirs up my anxiety and robs me of joy and rest. For this, I am truly sorrowful!


 I had one of those paralyzing moments of anxiety, just this past Saturday evening. It was just terrible...I was a complete basket case and could not be reasoned with. After such a night, I knew that I really needed to get up early and dive into the Word for comfort and wisdom. So, I got up and I opened up the Bible app on my phone. There, staring be in the face was this verse of the day:

Matthew 11:28-30

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light

Those verses are the key to overcoming obstacles! We must give our burden to the Lord instead of allowing our Enemy to rub those burdens in our faces and torture our minds so that we cannot sleep.

Despite my obssesive worrying and fretting, God worked everything out on Sunday, and He recieved glory, honor and praise! Oh the wasted time and energy that we spend worrying! I wish that I could take those minutes back, but all we can do is look towards the future and resolve to overcome our personal and ministry obstacles by keeping our eyes on Jesus and remembering that "this too shall pass."

Here is another set of verses that have helped me as I struggle to let go of anxiety and overcome obstacles:

1 Peter 5:6-8

 ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  ⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 Please continue to pray for Mr. The King and I as we continue to overcome those obstacles in our ministry, by keeping our eyes fully focused on God and His plans!