Have you ever watched a bathtub drain? It takes a long time usually, especially if the drain is clogged up with copious amounts of hair from many a dog bath...
Anyways, I felt like my energy level (which is usually really high) was drained to an all-time low this past Thursday storm-drain style.
Now that I know how draining it can be to care for people in need, I've developed some tips for the future to help me preserve my energy and care more effectively.
1. Trust in the Lord
- It is impossible for anyone to know exactly what they need spiritually at any given time, only God knows that and so we must trust in Him to guide us in our care for others and ourselves
"for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." - Matthew 6:8b
2. Point them to Jesus
- He is what everyone really needs and until they acknowledge Him as Lord, He will never be their Saviour
"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9
3. Ask for advice
- Sometimes when we don't know how to care for people, it is helpful to reach out to others for insight
"Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed." - Proverbs 15:22
4. Know when to quit
- I acknowledge the fact that sometimes you can't quit caring for someone (take marriage as an example), but there are times when you have to back away due to excessive drainage caused by sin
"As for a person that stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." - Titus 3:10-11
Anyways, I felt like my energy level (which is usually really high) was drained to an all-time low this past Thursday storm-drain style.
Now that I know how draining it can be to care for people in need, I've developed some tips for the future to help me preserve my energy and care more effectively.
1. Trust in the Lord
- It is impossible for anyone to know exactly what they need spiritually at any given time, only God knows that and so we must trust in Him to guide us in our care for others and ourselves
"for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." - Matthew 6:8b
2. Point them to Jesus
- He is what everyone really needs and until they acknowledge Him as Lord, He will never be their Saviour
"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9
3. Ask for advice
- Sometimes when we don't know how to care for people, it is helpful to reach out to others for insight
"Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed." - Proverbs 15:22
4. Know when to quit
- I acknowledge the fact that sometimes you can't quit caring for someone (take marriage as an example), but there are times when you have to back away due to excessive drainage caused by sin
"As for a person that stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." - Titus 3:10-11
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