Source: c/s / iOne
Overcoming Savior Syndrome
I know that we should be patient with people, and I know that sometimes we are assigned and called to things that are challenging, but some of us have savior syndrome and we feel better about ourselves when we’re doing something for someone else.
I’ve seen this up close and personal. I’m not going to call names, but you can be broken and messed up and because you can’t fix your life, you figure “I’ll fix theirs.” Sometimes your brokenness doesn’t allow you to work to your fullest capacity because if God wants us healed, then God wants us healed…It is okay to say, “I need to take a beat to work on me and to get a little bit better.”
Know When Enough is Enough
I love to hear about pastors who take sabbaticals. I love to hear about people taking a step back to refresh and be refilled and refueled by the Holy Spirit before pouring from such an empty place that is literally not serving anybody. When you feel good about serving (and we all should), don’t use that as a tool to replace your own spiritual health, because we need to be spiritually healthy. You don’t need to be so angry, upset, and tired that it’s all you’re spewing onto people. If Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly, if he’s the prince of peace but when you’re trying to tell people about Jesus you’re angry and mad and upset...Take a beat. Sometimes people know when they had enough, and some people don’t. Sometimes you don’t realize, “Ohh, I’m just tired, frustrated and angry, and maybe I just need to sit down for a moment.”
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I reached out to one of my friends who does a lot of social justice work and I just asked him, “Hey, my friend…How’s your heart? How’s your joy level?”
You have got to know when enough is enough. You have got to know when your time is up; when your season is up. Don’t work past your season. I love hearing about people who are intentional about succession and who’s coming next…Handing the ministry over to this person or handing the organization over to that person. I think it’s very wise to know that you can’t do everything forever and that we all need to know when your time is up. I mean, that doesn’t mean death…That just means a new season in life.
A lot of older people I know don’t want you to talk to them about what’s next or about sitting down. “I’m not old!,” they say. I love you so much, but if you are 80…you’re kind of old though. I’m going to get there one day too y’all! Don’t let me make a fool of myself. Don’t let me be 80 something years old and telling how young I am and how I can do everything. Enough is enough. Don’t you jump on that stage singing I Love God at 80 years old, sit down.
I love y’all. I really do…but I want us to be honest about where we are so we live in our full joy. Don’t play God in people’s lives. Take moments, take sabbaticals, take vacations—do all of that, and know when it’s time to move on say, “alright guys, our season is up. I’ve come to my end. Enough is enough.”
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