Fix the priorities

Many people - including those of us who are in the ministry - are looking for joy in the wrong places. As Pastors, we want to find them in a larger church, more effective ministry, and very often in the praise of our colleagues or church members. However, we will do it in vain - we will not find joy there.

Last week I shared with you what I believe is the number one killer in Christian ministry—legalism. I firmly believe that false priorities are a close second. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, speaks about his own priorities. He said: “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I consider all these things a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have lost all these things and consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Phil 3,7-8).

This is the profit and loss account of Paul. He says, however, that what was once profit for me, I consider to be injurious to the knowledge of Jesus. Their priorities are out of balance if they are not fully focused on the person of Jesus Christ, if you can not consider anything other than harm to him. That is one of the reasons why Paul kept his joy even though he was in prison when he wrote this letter.

Notice the phrase: I consider it all filthy to win Christ. The word dirt can also be translated as feces, dung. Paul tells us that everything we have is worthless crap without Jesus. Fame, money or power can never replace the simple joy of knowing Jesus.

You will find joy in the service if you keep your priorities in order. Do not lose the joy of things that are not important. Christ is important. There are a lot less important things that can cause you to lose your joy in the ministry. People do not do what they want. They do not appear if they should appear as you wish. They do not help if you should help. People will disappoint you. If you focus on these things, it will easily happen that you lose your joy.

Paul tells us in this letter that it doesn't matter what kind of awards you have, how large your congregation is, or how many books you have written—you can have all of this in your ministry and still be unhappy. Paul points out in Philipper 3,8 suggests that life consists of exchanging things. He considered it all harm that he might be found in Christ.
 
Jesus said something else in relation to the exchange. He told us that we can not serve two masters. We have to decide what or who will be number one in our lives. Many of us want Jesus plus something else. We want to serve God in church work, but at the same time we are stuck to other things as well. Paul tells us that we have to give up all these things to know Christ.

The reason why we have our priorities mixed up and therefore our service is joyless is because we know that we have to give up certain things in order to truly live for Christ. We are afraid that we will be restricted. But we can hardly escape the reality. When we come to Jesus, we give up everything. The strange thing is, if we do that, we find that we've never had it that good. He takes what we have given him and he improves it, rearranges it, adds a new meaning, and gives it back to us in a new way.

Jim Elliot, the missionary who was murdered by the Indians in Ecuador, said: He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to get what he cannot lose. So, what are you afraid to give up? What has become a false priority in your life and ministry? Has your relationship with Christ been replaced by goals for the church? It's time to rearrange your priorities - and find your joy again.

by Rick Warren