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Refreshment in Refuge

    by Gina Burgess

Weary and Worn?
Date Posted: October 16, 2016

God reminded me just today about a potent promise He made through the psalmist in Psalm 145: "The LORD lifts those who are heavy laden and those bent beneath their loads." How incredibly comforting and marvelously packed with potential.

We get lost in our own little world these days like a 5-member family going in five different directions, all at top speed. How can we possibly do God’s ministry justice when life is packed so full of everything from sunrise to sunrise with little time for rest and relaxation.

God often recalls to me that old song that goes, Have you failed in your plan of your storm tossed life? ... Are you weary and worn from its toil and strife? Only I usually sing it, “Are you weary and worn from this storm tossed life?” That question from the hymn runs through my mind a lot, especially when I'm doing something I do not like to do--housework comes to mind rather quickly. The next line brings everything back into perspective: Place your hand in the nail-scarred hand.

The key here is that no matter how much we strive to do even if we do it to please God, we can’t give enough or do enough to match those nail-scarred hands. When we get bogged down in doing things we think we should do instead of asking God what He would have us do we are, perhaps unintentionally, saying we’re trying to deserve the privilege of those nail-scarred hands. We get caught up in church work and civic work, never taking the time to be with the Refresher, and the Carrier of our load (Matthew 11:28).

I wrote a post about talents and gifts and it was sort of a half post, I had more to say but now it has gone past the newsworthy phase. So, I've revised it into weary and worn because that seems to be hitting a nerve with Christians recently.

I said in my post that the Master gave the talents according to the abilities, but did not give the abilities in that particular parable. The story Jesus was telling was not about abilities or what kind of abilities, but more about willingness to use the ability to increase what was given.

Obviously, the servant who received the most from the Master enjoyed using it to make even more. He wanted to make the Master proud. He obviously used it wisely because he doubled what he was given. In the exact same way, the Holy Spirit gives us motivations which spur us on to do God's work without becoming weary or heavy laden. We just need to know what our motivations are in order to operate in them to the fullest extent of our ability. These motivations are given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Take a moment and analyze what motivates you... What interests you the most, and how to you go about solving problems?

Let's take one example and look at how each of the Motivational Spiritual Gifts Paul outlines in Romans 12:6-8 would handle the situation. The gifts Paul lists are: Prophecy/Perception, Server/Minister, Teacher, Exhorter, Administrator, Giver, and Mercy/Compassion with Cheerfulness.

Let's say that in a neighborhood live all the gifts, please note that every Christian has all the gifts of motivation each in proportion to their abilities and in proportion to their faith (something most teachers of the Spiritual gifts forget to mention, but Paul does not).

One neighbor gets sick. Which of these reactions best suits your instinctive desire to help your sick neighbor?

__will take over meals, offer to do housework, run errands, and mow the lawn.

__ will ask how she feels, empathize, hug, weep, and stay by her bedside.

__ will find it hard to relate to her, but will take a good book and tapes, magazines, or read out loud.

__ will go right over and encourage her, share uplifting Scripture, make sure she is following doctor's orders.

__ will find out what she needs and organize the neighborhood to meet all the needs.

__ will bring food and other gifts, spend time talking and listening, or just sitting quietly.

__ will pray both privately and with her for healing, strength, and endurance.

When you've figured out what your motivation is, then you will operate according to that gift and you won't burn out, get weary, or get worn. It is when we are doing things with a mistaken motivation of DUTY that we get overwhelmed.

Have you decided yet which way you respond to a friend or loved one who is sick?

1. Server

2. Compassion/Mercy

3. Teacher

4. Exhorter

5. Administrator

6. Giver

7. Perceiver

Would you like to know more about these gifts? Go here

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"Refreshment in Refuge" from Gina Burgess

The Servant Leader

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Biography Information:

Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.

She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.

If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon

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