APOSTOLIC News

Anyone who owns a car knows that you have to take a vested interest in its maintenance if you expect it to continue to run. The reward for reducing the stress of an engine by keeping things tuned up is a better overall performance and ultimately a longer vehicle life.  A constantly racing engine without ever reducing the acceleration will cause it to eventually fall apart.  No automobile was built to run continually without rest or maintenance.  Like everything else, there has to be time to slow down, stop, cool down, and give it gas, oil, lubrication, radiator fluid, and other repairs. 

It is interesting to me that people generally take better care of their cars than they do their own bodies.  How often do we run our bodies like a Grand prix race car with nary a mere pit stop for days, weeks and even months on end?  Running our bodies at this high pitched rate for long durations will result in a plethora of physical and mental problems that will affect us spiritually as well.

Without doubt, God designed our bodies to endure a great deal of stress.  Nevertheless, living in a constant state of exertion was never His plan.  So what happens in our bodies when stress persists for too long?  Our bodies go into what is known as the ‘fight or flight response’.  This is a God given survival mechanism that physically prepares our body to protect itself against an external threat; in our case, stressors like financial and family problems, as well as a host of other problems that often plague a church and its parishioners.  Once this happens, certain physical changes take place. First, our adrenal glands begin secreting stress hormones into the bloodstream called adrenaline.  This causes our heart to beat faster and our blood vessels to constrict which leads to a rise in our blood pressure. Then, energy-giving sugars are released from our liver and we are ‘ready’ for the crisis ahead of us.  Living with a certain amount of stress is normal and inevitable; living in a constant state of fight or flight is not. 

An Important Note

Frequently people who live overly busy lives have done so for so long, that not doing so seems abnormal.  It’s often individuals whose lives are spent serving the needs of others are the greatest offenders and make themselves vulnerable to a condition called “burnout.”   

So, let’s talk about the daily chore of what I’m calling the “balancing act.”  I’ve often wondered why God loving people called to serve others, give to others first, and then ‘hope’ to have time left to deal with their own needs and that of their family.  It often seems as if caring for oneself and one’s own is somehow equated to the neglecting of God’s work.  This truly is a misconception as scripture states the opposite.  Not taking care of first things first, can actually disqualify one from office. (Matt 16:26; Titus 1; I Tim 3)  Nonetheless, making the choice to STOP for those who are the most important in our lives (God, spouse and children) can be a self imposed difficulty.  Even though the call of God upon an individuals life reigns supreme, God never intended for anyone’s call to the ministry to be the means of their own and their family’s destruction. We must continually remind ourselves of this truth

In spite of all we learn about the importance of self care, we will most assuredly spend an abundant amount of time in attempting to meet the needs of others.  Interesting enough, in all our attempts, we never really meet all their needs.  It is a human impossibility and one that even vexed Moses; “How can I bear alone the weariness and pressure and burden of you and your strife?” (Deut. 1:12 AMP).  As I state in my book, Christian Counseling, “we are called to be our brothers’ keepers, not their savior…” so please, don’t forget to attend to yourself and your family, because in reality, you can only give what you have and no more.

As a counselor, I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes we all have to put the needs of others ahead of our own, but wisdom demands that we know when enough is enough.  When Jesus was being ministered by the woman who washed his feet, he made it very clear,”…ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always (Matt 26:11).  To paraphrase, “you will always have problems to solve, but you need to take care to serve me first.”  We are of no use to God if we are not first of all healthy in our own minds, spirit and body.  Granted, much of the Christian’s true spiritual and emotional health is gained in and through our service to others.  However, if in leaning too far in that direction we lose our own and our family’s spiritual and emotional health—what have we gained?

Hence, “The Balancing Act”.   

• Next… Hints on How a Pastor Can Best Help Himself from the Dreaded Disease Called “Burnout”?   by Pastor Larry Booker.

Beth Baus is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and professor at Apostolic School of Theology/Hope International University.  Visit her website at www.ourhealthyfamilies.org for more information about her recent books and other materials available.