Break the cycle

I was reading a little bit of Greater by Steven Furtick this morning, since my mornings start after 1am but before 5am, He was talking about Spiritual Monotony. SURPRISE I had to look up a word. Monotony. Which is a lack of variety and interest, tedious, repetition, or routine.

Steven Furtick explains that it is when things that used to bring you energy and passion (joy, my input) towards your walk become duty and drudgery. When your "I get to" becomes "I have to." We, in the Christian community, call this burn out. We see it ALL the time in the church. Volunteers, staff, even Pastors. We have to find new and exciting ways of keeping it fresh and new each time we do whatever it is we are doing.

Elisha pushed a plow behind oxen day in and day out. Talk about a poopy job. God interrupted him. He wasn't asking for it, he wasn't praying for it. That's exactly what happens to people when they get comfortable in their walk. They don't ask for a push or an advance. We just keep walking in this boring path. Get up, go, do, come home, bed, do it again.

We have to break this cycle. We aren't doing anything for anyone when we have a poor attitude towards our activities. We have to listen to what God is telling us to do. You might say, "Oh I'm waiting for God to tell me what my calling is. This is why I'm just walking this way. In waiting." Ummm no. God isn't going to just tell you, Hey - be an apostle. He is going to give you little by little.

He might be asking you to help with the children's ministry. Just once a month. Spend 2 hours with the children and impart wisdom to them. You have 2 choices listen or don't. Say you don't. You continue to live your life and never advance in the area God really would like you to. Say you do. See what COULD happen. **EX CLAIMER I'M NOT SAYING THIS WILL HAPPEN**

Teach the children, then start helping in leadership, start making the schedule, then you are asked to take over the department. Wow, what a promotion. But that's not the limit. Lead the children's ministry, write your own lessons, start putting the lessons online, someone see's it and wants to get a collection of your lessons for a book. Wow, can you believe it? But there's more. You start gathering your lessons, make a book, start speaking to other churches in your area about your heart for children's ministry. BUT WAIT! Then you are speaking and someone is there who runs a company who conducts conferences and wants you to be a key note speaker for a children's conference. You can't put limitations on God.

The thing that will open the door faster than anything else is OBEDIENCE! When you are obedient you begin to grow. When you grow, you start seeing doors open. When doors start opening, you see God doing greater things in all area's of your life!!! Are you willing to be obedient in the things God is asking you to do? It's in that obedience you will see the monotony break. Be willing to listen. Be willing to push yourself. Be open to different things.