What's Life-giving?
Friday, December 3, 2010 at 4:00AM 
Early this year I was asked how much of my work was life-giving for me. Things were at a low ebb then, so I answered something like 30%. By that I meant that most of my work (some 70%) was draining.
What's scary is that I didn't even see this as a problem. I was doing good and important things, and someone had to do them.
I discovered that I was wrong. The person who asked me this question is a counselor who works with missionaries, pastors, and expatriates at the Missionary Health Institute in Toronto. He told me that I should be aiming for an 80/20 split. 80% of my work should be life-giving. Anything less than this and it's less than ideal, and maybe even damaging. When you get down to where I was, it's a recipe for burnout.
The past few months have been about creating a sustainable way of living and ministering. Part of this has been working at reducing what's draining and focusing on what's life-giving. The amazing thing is that there are plenty of people who find it life-giving to do what drains me.
I wish I had learned this earlier. We can never eliminate everything that's draining, but we can at least work at getting it close to 20%
Reader Comments (8)
I'm not sure I understand the question. 80% of my work is supposed to be life giving. Life giving to me? To those I work with? To those I work for? For both me and others? Who determines the 80/20 split? How do we arrive at such figures? I am supposed to ask if something is life giving before I tackle it? Please clarify.
Yes, life-giving to you. In other words, it matches up with you, your passions and strengths.We sort of instinctively do this. If someone hates preaching, we figure maybe they shouldn't be preaching all the time. If they find teens draining we don't make them the youth pastor.I'm assuming everything you do is life-giving for people, but not necessarily life-giving to you. So you're not choosing between what's life-giving to your people; you're just choosing which of these areas you should (ideally) focus on.I don't think you can be legalistic about this. I'm sure that Paul didn't like more than 20% of what he went through in his missionary journeys. Pastors don't always have a choice. Sometimes we're called to do things that aren't fun for us. But in general, if most of what you do drains you, you may not be in the right role.How do we do this? I nailed down my routines this Fall and got rid of some that I shouldn't be doing. And now in general I talk with Charlene before taking something new on.Hope this makes some sense, Ken. Push back as you please!
I think this whole thing is a selfish approach. Feeling energized/drained is a by-product of doing something but since when does it become the umpire to determine whether or not I should do it. The right things to do may be emotionally draining but if you're filled with the Holy Spirit they will be their own reward inasmuch as God is glorified regardless of how hard the work is or how exhausted or emotionally spent you get.
Dave:I get why you would say this, but I don't think this approach is any more selfish than saying that, in general, you should try to marry someone that you love.There's always a place for duty. Sometimes we do things just because they have to be done. But in general I think it's wise and beneficial for everyone if our roles coincide with the people God made us to be. There's still plenty of room for sacrifice even when we are functioning in the area of our strengths.
As soon as I started taking a pay check by a church, my "ministry work" became very non-life-giving. Now I do what I love, work with my church community for no pay, make very little money and I I'm 98%/2% split.
That is not such a radical concept, Darryl. Basically, you are giving the same advice that doctors give to the caretakers of the elderly, or the sick in their care.One MUST learn that in order to effectively care for someone else, the caregiver also needs time to rejuvenate and relax. Doing something that one enjoys isn't selfish, it allows one to return to his/her role refreshed.If one can concentrate one's efforts on those things that one enjoys doing, (in the context of caregiving, pastoring, etc.) one can minimize the tendency to burn out. Of course there will be times when one simply has to do something that one doesn't enjoy, but by reducing the frequency thereof, it doesn't become a point of contention or resentment.Don't ask me to preach, I am no good at that. But ask me to be an usher, or to keep your lawns neat and tidy, and I will be only too happy to serve the Church,... and God,... in that capacity.
I should add that if you ask me to wash the floors in the hallways of the church,... a job I find tedious and boring,... too often, and I will very soon be moving on to someplace else. Once or twice, maybe. But if that is the only task you can find for me,.... I'm outa there!
Darryl, I believe what you are saying is as a general rule very accurate. What we are involved in needs to be life-giving to us. It needs to match to our gifts and abilities. This is what drives us to action and activity and ultimately brings with it Godly self-fulfillment.God has gifted us all differently. These gifts we are to nurture and develop. None of us have all the gifts. That is why Paul refers to the church as a body. Various people exercising different gifts for the benefit of the group.The Apostle Paul made a great missionary and evangelist. However, I do not think he had the characteristics to make a good pastor (although he clearly realized the character qualities necessary to be one).Paul's gifts were as a teacher/debater and church planter. This is where he received his fulfillment in service even though he experienced much difficulty and suffering. His attitude demonstrates that fulfillment does not mean a lack of challenges, difficulties or hardships.I also disagree with the argument of "selfishness" which seems to be raised so often these days when matters of self-care are being discussed. From some people you get the sense that it is inappropriate for a Christian to take care of or be concerned about the needs of themselves or their families.In the context of the church this argument often seems to be raised around two issues. First, people who HONESTLY turn down specific requests to serve in some capacity because they do not feel it fits in with their gifted or availability (at times this can even include the pastor).And, secondly, when people HONESTLY feel they need to change churches because their spiritual/relational needs are in jeopardy, and as a result the attending of a specific church is becoming an unhealthy experience. My reaction is that these responses are not selfish but extremely wise. In fact I wonder who is being selfish in these issues ----God knows his creatures have needs and he expects us to satisfy them in appropriate ways. Paul was concerned about the financial needs of the church at Jerusalem and raised funds to meet those needs. And one day even Paul needed a cloak.