I am finishing up preparation for my trip to Brazil next week, speaking a total of 10 times at a Cell-Church Conference there. Because I’ll be away from home for about 12 days, I am also working on four writing assignments that are due by the end of the month but must be done this week.
Yes, I feel the stress!
Oh, by the way, the topic I’ve been asked to speak about is “Leader Burnout.”
Many things can cause leaders to burn out, and one of the big ones, of course, is too much work in too short of time. So what have I done the last several days in the midst of all this pressure and tight deadlines? I’ve spent the first couple hours of each day in worship.
Somehow, when I make my relationship with my Father my #1 priority, all my stress washes away. My other priorities become clearer, and–and I can’t explain how–I get more accomplished. I get more truly meaningful things–things of lasting value–accomplished.
I’ve written here previously about the fact that you need to discover what works best for you in your personal spiritual disciplines. What works for me may not work for you. God created each of us differently, and how we relate with him will look different for each of us.
For me, worship seems to open the door for everything else in my time with God. When I spend time worshiping him, my prayer time and study of his Word is much richer and more meaningful That’s what works best for me.
I’ve created a Worship playlist in YouTube. These are the worship songs that are very meaningful to me. I began with the music playlist from my church and then added other worship songs I like.
Feel free to use my playlist or create your own, if this works for you. But remember, it’s not about the artists, the specific songs, or any external stuff like that. When you worship God, do it in spirit and in truth. That’s the kind of worship the Father loves!
More on Worship:
The Most Important Thing You Do Today: It’s Not Reading the Bible!
What Do You Do When Life Sucks?
Why Don’t We Worship More in Small Groups?
How I Prepare to Spend Time with Go?
