The Biggest Mistake You Can Make in Ministry [EP:101]

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do you like to plan? </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I know I do. It makes me feel accomplished. Productive. In control. Planning eases my anxiety because I know what to expect. Plan the work then work the plan, right?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The problem is we rarely actually work the plan. We spend time, energy, resources getting everything we need to create a long term plan...we plan the work, but rarely do we work the plan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">God may have given you a vision, a word, a calling, and unless God tells you otherwise, that doesn’t change...but how we live it out does. Things change. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.</span></p> <p>I am already hearing the anxieties from many leaders about what will happen this fall. What will be possible in a world where we are living with COVID-19? And we spend a lot of time thinking, wondering, worrying, and trying to plan.</p> <p><strong>Here's the thing: We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. </strong></p> <p><br /> This week I started to read the book <em>Win the Day</em>, by Mark Batterson. I only got through the Introduction but it was good. He talks about how we spend much of our time living someone else besides the present moment. We dwell on yesterday and worry about tomorrow. <strong>The power is learning how to live in the present.</strong></p> <p>The biggest mistake we make in ministry is when we spend a bunch of time planning ahead.</p> <h3><br /> God has given us the model of living fully into today.</h3> <p>Jesus tells us: do not worry about tomorrow. It won't help you. It won't change what's to come. It won't add days or years or ANYTHING to your life. In fact, research shows that worry and anxiety shave years off. It's unhealthy for us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.</p> <p>In fact, Jesus gives us a model of praying and living clinging to and trusting in God day by day. One day at a time. </p> <p>“Pray, then, in this