INNER STRENGTH
Inner Strength
M. Jolaine Szymkowiak
After what seemed to be a very long Advent season and then quickly continued on into Lent – well, this is the 'rest of the story'. The church year starts off fast with Advent and continuing through Lent, the load gets heavier and heavier for the church secretary/ parish administrator. At times the load seems so much heavier, then I think – but it's not as heavy as His Cross.
We become tired, stretched with more work than we can sometimes handle; bulletins, programs, special meetings and program changes whip us around, make us unsure of what we are to do next. During this time, we are left to handle innumerable items on top of everything else, we ask, "why?" Jesus went that horrible night without sleep or rest. He endured the flogging, the criticism, the ridicule, the questioning. He felt very alone, deserted, and separated from His Father. He too, asked, "Why?" (Mark 14:32-15:39).
When the work is done, when the most active seasons of the church year come to an end during the days and weeks after Pentecost, there is time to evaluate what has been accomplished. From that comes the realization that the inner strength to do what needs to be done comes only through Christ and that God-filled wonderful Resurrection Morning, and know as did Christ, we are again one with the Father (Matthew 28:16ff).
One thing to remember during this time is that Jesus received inner strength from His Father. We, too, can tap into that same "inner strength." Our heavenly Father is ready to help us – not necessarily to get that next bulletin out, although that is just what sometimes happens – but through reading the Bible, taking a daily time of prayer and quiet, the day can be laid out before Him, giving time to thank Him for times that go right, ask His forgiveness for when they don't. Give Him the day, unplanned or scheduled to the hilt, and ask His guidance thanking Him for this day that was given and the opportunity to show a ...
M. Jolaine Szymkowiak
After what seemed to be a very long Advent season and then quickly continued on into Lent – well, this is the 'rest of the story'. The church year starts off fast with Advent and continuing through Lent, the load gets heavier and heavier for the church secretary/ parish administrator. At times the load seems so much heavier, then I think – but it's not as heavy as His Cross.
We become tired, stretched with more work than we can sometimes handle; bulletins, programs, special meetings and program changes whip us around, make us unsure of what we are to do next. During this time, we are left to handle innumerable items on top of everything else, we ask, "why?" Jesus went that horrible night without sleep or rest. He endured the flogging, the criticism, the ridicule, the questioning. He felt very alone, deserted, and separated from His Father. He too, asked, "Why?" (Mark 14:32-15:39).
When the work is done, when the most active seasons of the church year come to an end during the days and weeks after Pentecost, there is time to evaluate what has been accomplished. From that comes the realization that the inner strength to do what needs to be done comes only through Christ and that God-filled wonderful Resurrection Morning, and know as did Christ, we are again one with the Father (Matthew 28:16ff).
One thing to remember during this time is that Jesus received inner strength from His Father. We, too, can tap into that same "inner strength." Our heavenly Father is ready to help us – not necessarily to get that next bulletin out, although that is just what sometimes happens – but through reading the Bible, taking a daily time of prayer and quiet, the day can be laid out before Him, giving time to thank Him for times that go right, ask His forgiveness for when they don't. Give Him the day, unplanned or scheduled to the hilt, and ask His guidance thanking Him for this day that was given and the opportunity to show a ...
There are 6904 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
