Loosing ourselves in ministry

In ministry there is often the temptation to lose ourselves in the work of God. Ministry can be very rewarding, and can fill us with a real sense of purpose. I have seen many pastors get so involved in church work, that they let their lives and their families fall apart. Even in lay ministry many have spent so much time at the church doing the work of God that they have neglected those other parts of their lives. We often forget that those other parts are also holy.

For about a year now, I have been preparing for a possible ministry. During that time, I have spent many hours in prayer, reading and studying for a possible life of service. The other day, I noticed my dog was being particularly clingy. He would not leave me alone to read. He was jumping in and out of my lap, licking me and running around me. He kept bringing toys to me. This was his telling me that he missed me and needed more of me. He was telling me that, although I have been home a lot, I have not really been there. In my quest to study hard I had neglected the one life that God had put in my care.

One of the mottos of the Benedictine order is “work and pray.” Actually, in the way that this works out is usually “work, pray and play.” It is so easy to get involved with business and we neglect and nourishment of our soul. Our lives can become so prosaic that we forget about the poetry of life. We often forget that God made the world useful, but he also made it beautiful. St, Benedict teaches that life should be balanced. It is good from time to time to read a good work of fiction, paint a picture, play some music and dance.

For the next couple of weeks, I plan to focus on other things. I plan to start a new painting, teach my dog some new tricks and finally finish reading Silas Marner. I plan to take a few more walks with my dog. I will try to catch up with some friends. Mostly, I plan to take a deep breath and reconnect with myself.