Organized Religion Is Spiritual Welfare

[Dark Energy]

Originally Posted by ILG

I don't like being "used".

So it's all about you is it?

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

If God wants what is best for us, and He is the one who has instituted ministry, shouldn't ministry be invigorating and not draining? I would think, and there is some experience speaking here, that doing the work that God has designed you for would be an experience that would fulfill you and leave you feeling better about yourself, your world, and most of all, God. And yes, this means the converse must also be true. If what you're doing is draining you and burning you out, IMO, that's not God's will for your life. Change direction because that isn't His plan for you. I do believe that organized religion as it is set up in most places in the US is not quite what He had in mind. I blame the extremely high rate of minister burn out on this.

Agreed.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Dark Energy

So it's all about you is it?

*sigh*

[Dark Energy]

Let's look at Paul. His ministry landed him in jail and ultimately death. He suffered for it. He had worries though he trusted in God to keep from being anxious

Act 20:29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;
Act 20:30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears.
Act 20:32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Act 20:33 I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
Act 20:34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me.
Act 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Act 20:36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
Act 20:37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him,
Act 20:38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

[Dark Energy]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

*sigh*

You thought it was ok for her to say what she said to me about self promotion? *sigh* indeed!

[Dark Energy]

It seems nobody can have a positive message on this board. Everything has to be negative message or experience. Why is that?

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Dark Energy

Let's look at Paul. His ministry landed him in jail and ultimately death. He suffered for it. He had worries though he trusted in God to keep from being anxious

Difficulties and persecution are not the same as burn out. This is a matter of the heart. If what you are doing is not leading to your growth and security as a believer, it is not the right thing for you to be doing. If you are doing something that is causing you to grow consistantly closer to God, and causing you to consistently feel refreshed and inspired and leaving you with a feeling of contentment, you're on the right track.

It's like exercise. If you're doing proper exercise for your body and your fitness level you will feel exhausted but good and you're fitness level will progress. If you're doing something incorrectly, you'll injure yourself and require time to recover. You'll feel exhausted *and* injured, and your down time will cost you progress in your fitness level.

[Praxeas]

Yeah, not everything is negative. I've had good and negative experiences both in church and just in life in general

I did not quit either nor focus just on the negative. Organized Religion is made of men. Any church, even a local church, will be made of men and men will always disappoint us at some point

It's a good idea then to focus on Him and do your works for Him

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Dark Energy

It seems nobody can have a positive message on this board. Everything has to be negative message or experience. Why is that?

You've posted a whopping 19 times all in the last 14 days and you know what people here post like?

[Dark Energy]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Difficulties and persecution are not the same as burn out. This is a matter of the heart. If what you are doing is not leading to your growth and security as a believer, it is not the right thing for you to be doing. If you are doing something that is causing you to grow consistantly closer to God, and causing you to consistently feel refreshed and inspired and leaving you with a feeling of contentment, you're on the right track.

It's like exercise. If you're doing proper exercise for your body and your fitness level you will feel exhausted but good and you're fitness level will progress. If you're doing something incorrectly, you'll injure yourself and require time to recover. You'll feel exhausted *and* injured, and your down time will cost you progress in your fitness level.

People can let difficulties and persecutions to cause burnout though

Growth is through personal relationship, despite difficulties and what others say or do, you have to walk with God. Don't focus on people or what benefits we thought we should have gotten from serving God