I stood to the side of the room listening to women, young and old, weeping together. For the past forty minutes, I had shared from my heart with these precious women of Mexico. As the translator relayed my words, there were times that tears rolled down her cheeks, and mine.
When my husband Jim and I were both invited to speak at a Minister’s Leadership Conference in Guadalajara, Mexico with the Church of God (Cleveland TN), my first thought was, “Lord, what would you have me share with these women?”
In this particular instance, my audience was a group of about 125 ministry wives – most of them married to an Overseer. In the Church of God, an Overseer is the minister designated as the administrator over a group of pastors for the state they all live in. Many of these Overseer’s pastor churches themselves, thus the burden is doubled in both workload and responsibility. Their wives often carry the burden of ministry as well, working alongside with them.
After much prayer about what my topic should be for this meeting, I felt strongly impressed to minister to these women on being “Weary, Wounded and Worn Out – Overcoming in a World of Ministry.”
These are just the briefest of my points.
A. Weary in Ministry – even Jesus Christ became weary and tired; he had to get away from time to time.
John 4:6 “Jesus, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
B. Wounded in Relationships – the Word says that the world will hate us – sometimes we feel like even those closest to us hate us!
Isaiah 53:12 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by His stripes we are healed.
”It was prophesied that He would carry our hurts for us. He would stand in the gap as our healer – this includes emotional, mental and spiritual healing.”
C. Worn Out by Rejection – there will always be people who will misunderstand and despise us, and the work we are trying to do for God.
For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Romans 11:15
The stresses and pressures of ministry life can lead to incredible weariness, sometimes to the point of our being wounded in spirit and in our soul; and to feelings of being worn out. . . It is only by His Grace and through His power that we can find healing, renewal, and hope.
As the session ended that morning, the Holy Spirit urged me to have these women break into groups of twos and threes, and for them to pray together. I felt I was to ask them to specifically pray for each other that the Lord would minister and heal their hearts. As I shared this with my translator, she turned to the women and with tears running down her face she instructed them to do as I suggested.
I bowed my head in prayer as the women slowly shuffled from their chairs and sought out partners in groups of two or three. At first, the room grew completely quiet. Almost eerily quiet.
Then slowly, very slowly, I heard a whisper here and a whisper there. Then a ragged sob escaped from a brokenhearted young woman. Soon the sound of women praying, crying and clinging together in their mutual need filled the room.
After about twenty or thirty minutes of a symphony of prayer the room then became quiet again. This time it was a quiet of peace, and of calm. A peace that passes all understanding. A calm that comes after a great storm has passed. The presence of the Holy Spirit was in the room.
Saying a simple prayer of dismissal, I released the women to go the auditorium for the worship session.
At a gentle touch on my arm, I turned to find the General Overseer’s wife standing beside me. With her was a young woman who spoke fluent English. Swiftly she translated as the Overseer’s wife shared with me that these women, for the most part, did not know each other, or if so, only barely. Many of them lived in outlying areas, or in the larger cities, and all were so busy with their husbands and the churches they served that only rarely did they have time to spend with other ministry wives.
She said that it was very unusual for them open up to each other and she was amazed at the ministry that had just occurred.
With tears running down her face, she thanked me for listening to the Holy Spirit and for following His leading. She said great healing had taken place in that room that day. She indicated that she knew there were many who had been hurt and wounded when they came that day, and already, many had expressed forgiveness for those who had hurt them. They had sought and found healing in the presence of the Lord.
As she thanked me, she urged me to know that God had indeed done a good work that day.
Today, I share this with to encourage you ~ whether you are in active ministry, or simply living the life that God has called you to live; if you are weary, if you are wounded, if you are worn out ~ you can give all of that to the Lord; He will restore your strength, your joy, and your sense of purpose.
I know, because I too have been there.
God bless you each one.
Lynette