Spent...

          I'm sure many of you know the feeling. A busy week, followed by a busier weekend, followed by yet another week waiting to greet you. For me this past week was not only busy, but taxing emotionally and spiritually. I've had a number of issues brought to me by students, and volunteers, and am in the middle of doing what I can to deal with them, and help each individual find a healthy resolution to them.

          The question is, what do we do as youth workers to maintain our own sanity in these times? Due to the sensitive nature of some issues, we just can't pick up the phone and spill our guts out to our best friend, or just gossip about it during a get together with friends. I have a few ideas on the topic, and believe me, I'm trying to live them out today.

- Pray. You can always talk to God about these things, and often times He's the only one that can do any good anyway. If you're not already, I encourage to regularly lift your students up in prayer. Pray as the Spirit leads and  be diligent in that.

- Detach. It sounds kind of cold. But often I find I can be to a situation, what I need to be (which may be nothing at all) to a situation if I try to detach from it emotionally. This is extremely easier said than done. But after your initial private reaction of disappointed, sorrow, anger, frustration, etc. Try to think outside of those emotions so you can clearly see the situation and move forward. I'm not saying be a heartless robot, but often when we react out of heightened emotions we only make things worse, much worse.

- 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 

          Find renewal in Jesus, and in God's word, we often lose heart, but when we look for our strength from the Lord, we can truly be renewed each and every day.

What do you do when you are spent?

Blessings,

Jeremiah