Andy Stanley (I know, not more Andy Stanley) has a great talk about appetites. He says that appetites are created by God and they are never satisfied in the world…especially ministry. Many people operate however as if there is an end to our striving i.e. If my ministry is large enough, or if I have a bigger impact, or if I write a book, then it will be enough. We think that there is an end to our leadership. That our appetites will be satisfied is however, a misconception. We will never be satisfied even if we achieve the highest goal. Our appetites drive us forward and always say “now”, never later. We chase this goal this ‘end’ but we never arrive. We push and push and push but it only creates friction in our ministries and dissatisfaction in the long run.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
I Can't get No....Satisfaction (Nathan McWherter)
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I agree totally with this commentary. I have been a victim of my appetites for years usually for food, but I have been working with God in changing this in my life with food and with ministry ideas. I had come to a place where I was asking the questions, how much do I need to become successful, what is success, and how do we know that we achieved it? I think we need to get a hold of our appetites for success and allow God to show us when we are successful not man.
ReplyDeleteAndy Stanley indicated in his commentary that we can never satisfy our appetites in this life in ministry. He says that those appetites keep telling us now and never later. It would be easier if they would say later. We cannot allow them to control us, if we let them get the better of us we get fat! Sometimes getting fat is not a physical fatness but a spiritual one. Sometimes we get burned out because we are not satisfied, but ministry is not about us. We need to humble ourselves and pray, and seek God’s face, turn from our wicked ways, and then God will bless our ministry.