INNER

I know in my years as a younger pastor, I was full of energy and passion and go-get-em. I'm not less full of those things now, I've just re-arranged some of it. I used to believe those former things were more important and useful than setting aside time for the quiet inner conversations I needed to have with God.

Daily breakfast and lunch appointments, meetings, ministries -- all seemed more important. It was only as the irrefutable evidence began to mount ---- frustration, weariness, bad decisions, etc. ---- that I began to realize what I lacked most was the quiet God-conversations.

"The battle is won in the secret places of the will before God."

(It was here that I got busy and stopped writing this blog with the intent to finish it later in the day. In between this first and second half I had someone come into my office who just wanted to pray for me. That person prayed this very prayer above . . . )

There seem to be recurrent themes among church leaders today -- 'I've run out of ideas ... I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this ... It seems everyone has a piece of me but I don't have any pieces left over for myself ... I find myself running from people ... I'm disappointed in me ... God seems a million miles away ... It's not fun any more.'

Is it supposed to be that way? I don't think it has to be, but a lot of us fall into that trap when we fail to take into account the indispensable need for including the quiet dimension in the calendar.

O. Chambers wrote: 'The battle is won in the secret places of the will before God. Never first in the external world ... nothing has power over the (person) who has fought out the battle before God and won there.'

When we ask one another in ministry: 'What does an ideal week look like for you ... what are the things you will give priority to?,' very often the answers include staff meetings, sermon study time, budget conversations, counseling appointments, vision casting and planning functions, etc. Sometimes there is a comment about physical exercise or quality family time but what is all too often missing is any allusion to a personal Sabbath - time for activities that cleanse and build the soul - moments of inner conversation with God.

That's what we need more of.

And be blessed.