Day seventy

It's Sunday, so time for something biblical again. And to explain why I don't like the idea of being stressed:

For me, one of the key passages for Christian living is Matthew 11: 28-30, ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

That sounds like Jesus doesn't cause stress. He doesn't stretch us beyond our ability to cope.

And yet He knows that we can be weary and we tend to be carrying heavy burdens.

Life is wearying; heavy burdens are part of fallen human nature, but there is a solution: Come to me!

I have never found life easy, but since I became a Christian I found rest for my soul in Jesus. Then I became a minister, following his calling, and I occasionally found that I couldn't cope. I have never been a megalomaniac; I don't have a problem with insecurity; I have no hunger for power, or authority, and I have no desire to lead. I became a minister to minister. And that is where I am most comfortable, and most successful. But being a minister involves (so I have seen in the hundreds of ministers I have known) megalomania, insecurity, power-hunger, authoritarianism and a desire to lead. So that is not a comfortable position.

Then I transferred to the Methodist ministry and experienced religion of the Christendom kind. And at this point The Message version of this passage made a lot of sense:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

And yes, I am tired!

Worn out!

Burned out on religion!.

I have been getting away while I've been off, but still going to Southwold; still having to deal with some issues; still wondering about what comes next.

But one decision I have made is that I will learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I will not take on anything that is heavy or ill-fitting.

I remember when I first became a minister and someone gave me a suit to wear (I couldn't afford to buy one) and I felt so uncomfortable. After a couple of years I bought a pair of jeans and a denim jacket, and that was how I dressed. I still wore a suit in church services (but I took my shoes off to preach), and I grew my hair back to normal.

I always compared it to David trying to face Goliath in Saul's armour. In the Methodist ministry there were so many things I was/am expected to do that go against my theology and with which I am uncomfortable.

I will have been 36 years in ministry in March and I have possibly 3-6 years at most before I stop (unless I have to take early retirement, depending on the results - not counting death!), so I am going to try to  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

And as I keep company with (Jesus) I'll learn to live freely and lightly.

I have now been a Christian for 46 years (January 1980). This is why stress bothers me. After a good start I lost it along the way, because of the Church. But now, before it's too late I am going to put that right.

So if the Church is causing you stress, just turn to Jesus, and as He says:

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”