Balancing ministry with your personal relationship with God is a huge challenge. If you are like me, the demands of ministry often undermine your personal relationship with God. Ironically the ministry we are devoting our time and energy to begins to suffer as as consequence of weakening spiritual condition that results from not spending time with God.

“All Work and No Pray” an article in Discipleship Journal Magazine by Gary Thomas (Jan/Feb 2008) addresses the issue well. In the article Gary says:

“Our spiritual health isn’t the only thing at stake. Whatever our sphere of involvement, if we let our zeal for ministry steal our first love – passion for Christ – our effectiveness in God’s work will also take a hit. We will grow weary in our task and loose our hearts for God’s people. We will stop depending on God and start ministering out of our own strength.

Brother Giles, who is featured in the Franciscan Classic, The Little Flowers of St. Francis, warns, “Many men who did not know how to swim have gone into the water to help those who were drowning, and they have drowned with those who were drowning. First, there was one misfortune, and then there were two. If you work well for the salvation of your soul, you will be working well for the salvation of all your friends.”

We can’t save our friends from “spiritual drowning” if we allow ourselves to become spiritually weak.”