Monday Morning Hangovers

FATIGUE! We have all experienced it before... the joys and victories we experience in ministry as we pour out all day long... yet, you and I will encounter a reality as we are weak and volunerable to attacks. I call this the Monday Morning Hangovers...

The truth of the matter is that the enemy would love to mess you and I up... and it usually happens in our spiritual weak times (1 Peter 5:8). When we are spiritually weak, discouragement, distractions, and temptations tend to bombard.

Check out Elijah... here is a guy who takes on a whole pagan nation, destroys the Baal priests, runs in a supernatural strength, defies a emperor and yet requests God to take his life (1 Kings 17-19:3):

• Elijah, in his spiritual weakness, started to look at his surroundings than looking to God
• Elijah, in his spiritual weakness, didnt take time to give himself rest and renewal. Therefore, God gave him rest by 1) Giving him a deep sleep. You and I need a deep sleep to keep rejuvenated. The "deep" sleep of the night is between 11PM-4AM. More than that, the body needs 8 hours of sleep to regain alertiveness. Are you getting enough sleep? 2) Eat right. The angel of the LORD assisted Elijah by giving him food. In the same way, you and I got to eat right to be able to reach our full potential through out the day. To be honest, most baby boomer pastors that I have known dont eat very well... and it shows! Dont believe the lie that you have to sacrifice your body for the sake of ministry. God desires obeidence rather than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). 3)Exercise! Sounds simple, but do you have a exercise plan? Do you keep to it? And in all honesty, you and I will feel better, gain alertiveness, and get more done if you and I are disciplined. Excuses tend to plaque a faigued mind... if you dont have enough money to get a gym membership, I dare to suggest... take it out of your budget under "professional development"...
• Elijah, in his spiritual weakness, looked for a quick fix and asked God to take his life. This might be a extreme for you... but it relates to you and I... Dont look for a quick fix to find rejuvenation and renewal... busyness, pronography, sexual promisuity, work will not help... those are all quick fixes to a bigger problem. Are you taking time with God in solitude? What has HE been showing you lately?

Revel in His love and grace today!