Ministering To Yourself

I heard a teaching from Bill Johnson, Pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California.
     He was teaching about learning to minister to ourselves. This is something I have needed to hear for a long time! I have wondered how people who are in ministry are nurtured in the things of the Lord and refilled after pouring out for others. I'm talking about bigger things than daily problems or events. 
     Everyone runs into BIG things in life at times that seem to knock them about, they can be hurt, disappointed, betrayed, challenged....but in a ministry, it's not always easy to turn to someone else for an encouraging word. So this teaching was answered prayer! Thank You, Father!
     It is a blessing to have a ministry that feeds people, but how are the ministers fed, built up, refreshed? How do they care for themselves? I believe this would also be good for anyone that does not have a close companion to share your situations with that can speak godly things into your life. So while it helps ministers, it also helps anyone that wants to put it into practice! 
     Bill Johnson shared that he reads the Psalms out loud and he keeps going until he can hear the cry of his heart in the words. That is really good advice for me, I love Psalms and the Lord has had me read through it many, many times. I had not realized that He was using it to minister to me until now though, yes, that does sound kind of like I'm slow on the uptake, doesn't it? Now I recognize it and now I will use it as the tool the Lord has given me to minister to myself! There are many tools for us to use, praise, prayer, scripture, and each one will help but if we know the one that especially touches our spirit we will be able to know what to do when we are needing special ministering for the difficult times we walk through in our lives. 
     This was something that was very helpful to me, so I wanted to share it with you! ~ Lorna