When Ministry Becomes an Idol

When Ministry Becomes an Idol

Your mercies are new every morning. Thank You, Jesus, for caring so well for us.

Well, as I had promised yesterday, I am really trying to get out a message a day. Because there is so much the Lord wants to give us. And of course, He's using me for His guinea pig!

Well, first of all I want to say that it's been another day where things were around me that had to be taken care of, almost immediately. Not everything was like that, but many things were. And it kind of threw me. I never did manage to get into the deep and sweet fellowship with the Lord that I'm accustomed to in the morning. And I felt badly, because each time I would pursue the next task that needed to be done, I knew He was waiting for me. And I just couldn't bring myself to stop!

So, I asked the Lord, 'What is on Your heart tonight, Jesus.'

He began, "You are My Love. I miss you, Clare. What's gotten into you Beloved?"

I answered Him, 'The world?'

"Well, not exactly. Am I worth waiting for?"

Yes, Lord. You are.

"Then why can't you wait? Why can't you sit still and wait for Me?"

Well, I do feel that we are making some headway...

He answered, "Getting things done?"

Yes, strings. Loose ends. Yes, I do feel like we're getting things done.

"And for this, you keep Me hanging? I really do understand you. Much better than you understand yourself. One thing to watch out for: when you feel better, don't bounce off the walls, but apply yourself steadily to the work I set before you. First of all and foremost: prayer."

Truly, Lord, I can hardly believe you are speaking with me, I have been so distracted today. And giving in to one thing after another. I just don't deserve Your fellowship.

Jesus continued, "As a parent, what do you do when your child loses sight of where he is going? What do you do when he's headed down the wrong path?"

I answered, 'I pray for him and reason with him.'

"So why should I run from you or turn My back on you, when you really are wanting to stop this compulsiveness? Should I make Myself even more inaccessible. Or should I be right there by your side coaching you?"

I understand... I get it. What a wonderful God You are, Jesus! How could anyone not love You?

"Very simply, they don't know Me. They know what others have said about Me, and they don't read the Bible. They are afraid of it, so they never learn how very tender and approachable I can be to a soul who is floundering.

"But I want you to recognize that you are also hanging under a cloud of Condemnation. It works in two ways. It causes a wedge of false Guilt to be driven between us. And it causes compulsive behavior, which keeps you avoiding Me because you pile on more in order to be too busy for Me.

"This is nothing new to you or any of the Heartdwellers, and it is a calculated tactic of the devil to separate us. Over-work is another one. Taking on more than is necessary is also a divide and conquer tactic."

Interesting, dear ones. I got this particular rhema today. This is from my box of probably a good 1,000 rhema cards that I've collected over time, writing down Scriptures and words from the Lord. It says, "Simplify. Rid yourself of all unnecessary desires. Learn to live with less, and you will have more time for Me. Turn your back on whatever threatens to come between you and Me. I will help you. Do not let failures discourage you. I am with you in this."

Wow. This is an old, old card. It's not even dated, but I can tell you it's an old card! Probably at least more than a decade old. Ahh... these things have a way of becoming bad habits that come up again and again when you think you've gotten rid of them!

And again, I want to say that the rhema box is a wonderful thing. It brings Light in times when there's no other way to get a word from the Lord. So, start collecting your rhema cards. They're just plain index cards and an index card file--which I outgrew. I have about 10 index card files by now! Maybe 15...

And another point that He makes here is 'unnecessary desires.' "Rid yourself of all unnecessary desires. Learn to live with less, and you will have more time for Me."

This is what the monastic life is all about. This is what the secluded life is all about. You're making yourself totally available to the Lord Jesus. Totally, with all your heart and soul and attention. And it is so much easier to do it when you don't have a gillion irons in the fire. When you don't have things lying around that own you, more than you owning them. It is so much easier to rest in the Lord when you don't have a pile, a laundry list seven feet long on how many things need to be done!

It's really quite amazing. I know that many don't understand why people leave the world and go into a convent or a monastery. And they think to themselves, 'Well. They're just burying their talents!' Well, no. As a matter of fact, there talent has been their vocations, which is to love God with all their heart and soul and mind and strength. This is everyone's duty. But certain people feel called to it as a vocation. And for these people, nothing is satisfying to them except a to totally be available to the Lord, 24/7.

And that's what the monastic life is all about! Being available to the Lord. Loving Him. Serving Him. Waiting on Him. And waiting on Him, especially. And praying for the world. Yes, praying for the world is so important. And the Holy Spirit speaks to people who live a secluded life. He tells them what's on the Lord's heart. The Lord speaks to them, and tells them what's on His heart, so they don't have to read the news. They don't have to read the news. They don't have to listen to the radio. Their hearts are tuned in to God, and His burden becomes their burden.

So, it's not a matter of wasting your talent. It's taking your talent, protecting it, and increasing it and allowing the Lord to change your heart. So that all that matters to you is fulfilling His will. Praying for others that you don't even know, because they're God's children, and you love Him. And so, He gives you the grace to want to be separated from worldly pursuits, to be emptied of those worldly things. So that you can embrace more of Him.

So, that's just a little note on what it means to withdraw from the world and dedicate your heart and mind unto the Lord. Your life to the Lord in prayer. It's not about hiding your talents. It's about increasing them.

When you see a wheel turning, you see a hub. You see spokes and you see the rim. The rim of the wheel touches the ground. As it turns, it touches the Earth. The spokes that support that wheel go back to the hub. The hub is the very center of that activity. And from the position of the hub, you can reach out through all the spokes to touch the outside of the rim.

What comes to mind is St. Therese of Lisieux; the Little Flower. She was given to be the patroness of missionaries, and she never left her home town! And she never traveled to any place. She didn't go into the mission field. But she was assigned as a Mother of missionaries, because she prayed for them. She had much correspondence with people that were in the mission field. And she prayed for them continually, and they bore fruit. Because of her prayers and their own efforts

We can't do what we do without other people praying for us. It's just not possible!

The odds are totally against it. So, when you are at the hub of the wheel, you are touching every bit of the rim. You are touching every one of the spokes. And as you pray, that grace goes out from your center to the rim, through the spokes. And that's what it's all about. Finding your joy in serving the Lord.

And being protected. Being in an environment protected from the world, so that you can have more of Jesus. And Jesus can have more of you.

But how, Lord? I feel so good that what's been hanging over my head is finally attainable, and I am able to finish it. So, I get up in the morning surrounded by loose ends that make me want to tackle them until they are all cleaned up and completed.

Jesus replied, "I would much prefer you left it unfinished and lavished your time and attention on Me. I understand what is going on inside of you much better than you do, My Love. And you are heading down the road to lukewarmness. Though you think of Me constantly, your mind continues to be taken up with what is going on outside of our relationship, and not within your heart with Me.

"This is how a ministry becomes idolatry. The chosen soul begins to push Me aside and make Me wait, so he or she can wait on others and minister. Yes, ministry feels good. It feels good to help a soul with grace and insight. And that good feeling can be the very thing that entices you off into the world. Prayer becomes dull and boring compared to getting things done and communicating with others.

"Dear ones, it matters not if it is your husband, your children, your ministry, your home-making. Whatever is that path you push prayer to the side for, is your idol. Satan is very talented at taking so called "Good" activities and goading you on to do them when you should be in prayer. There is a sense of accomplishment that satisfies the flesh and a soul when they are busy. Beware when you say, "Oh, it feels so good to finally get this done. The Lord won't mind. I'll pray tomorrow."

Boy! Did He nail me with that remark!

Jesus continued, "Yes, I do mind. Very, very much. I had gifts for you that you know not of. I needed your gentle touch on My cheek, your love and caring. Time is your most precious commodity. It is something that can never be regained once lost. I long for you to lavish your time on Me. I long for you to care enough that you are willing to wait quietly for My approach, even days if necessary. With anticipation--and not boredom and a desire to be active.

"What you are falling prey to is common to all men and women. It will take real effort to stop this habit. It's very much like a long tanker which begins to stop six miles before the dock."

Lord, I need Your help, desperately. Only You can do this thing in me.

Jesus replied, "Well said. But you have another advocate in Heaven, who on Earth mastered the art of waiting for Me. Her name is Mary, and she loves you dearly. Ask her to pray for you, Clare, just as you would ask Carol to pray for you.

"The Holy Spirit will take that request to her tender heart and she will lift you up to Me. You know that to Me, she is irresistible. When I see her concern, it fuels My desire to help, just as in the days of the wedding at Cana.

"She will also whisper in your ear when you are headed the wrong way. It is called the Marian multiplier. You pray, and she prays, and much favor is released to accomplish this holy end, which is weighing heavily on My heart, dear one. Please, Clare. Give it your best effort. It hurts when I don't see you, and I can't lavish what I want to give you, upon you. Please. Give it your best effort."

Thank You, Lord. I will, Your grace enduring.

And Jesus continued, "My grace is always with you for the better. Always. All you need to do is call out to Me, and I pour through you. Be at peace, dear one. You are greatly loved. And the things you fall prey to are common to all men."

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