As a lost person, doing bad things is fun. The Bible tells
us that there is pleasure in sin – for a season (Hebrews 11:25). So lost people
like to stir things up. They make unfounded allegations trying to plant seeds
of doubt and distrust into the hearts of people. Truthfully, if they didn’t get
some level of enjoyment out of this behavior they wouldn’t do it. They may
convince themselves that they are serving the greater good, but in reality,
they are simply tools of the devil who is using them to bring discord into the
body of Christ.
But for Christians, doing good things brings the greatest
pleasure: worshiping God, telling others about His love, ministering to the
needs of hurting people. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that if you don’t
enjoy these things that you aren’t a Christian – well, maybe I am. Children of
God, these are the very things that the Holy Spirit compels us to do. It is the
mind of Christ in us. It is the very heart of God in us. And, my friends, if we
let the mind of Christ indwell us and if His heart becomes our heart, then worshiping
God and touching the lives of the weak and hurting should energize us.
Do you remember the story of the Samaritan woman at the well
in John 4? Jesus had sent away His disciples to get food. They were all tired
and hungry from their journey. When they returned, they found Jesus ministering
to this woman. They were shocked on so many levels: a Jewish man speaking to a
woman who was not his wife? In public? Alone? And a Samaritan woman, at that?
How could this wise Rabbi make such a cultural/religious mistake? Of course,
none of them would confront Jesus, but when they offered Him food, He turned
them down. Why? He said that He had meat that they couldn’t comprehend. What
did that mean? Jesus was telling them that He was no longer tired and hungry because
ministry to hurting people energized Jesus, and it should do the same for us.
Try this out sometime when you are tired or depressed: go
visit someone in a nursing home; do something nice for someone in need; minster
to someone who cannot repay the favor. I guarantee you, child of God, that you
will find your exhaustion eliminated. Your depression will disappear.
But look at what Paul said – do not grow weary in well-doing.
Why? Because unlike Jesus, we are not divine. Have you noticed that even though
He is the Son of God, Jesus took time away to become physically and spiritually
refreshed? Sometimes when we do ministry, we see the worst in people. They will
take advantage of you. The needs will be overwhelming. And the only way not to
become cynical and defeated is to find refreshing and renewal physically and
spiritually. Unless we take the time to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to
us, we will run out of gas even if we are energized by doing good. By the way,
that is why God gave us the gift of Sabbath, but that is a story for another
day.
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