There are two verses in the Bible that God has had me dwelling on lately:

“Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.”  — James 1:23-24

As a parachurch minister and full-time author/speaker, I’ve been stripped down to nothing. Every event we had scheduled through May has canceled, and June may be yet another series of cancellations. Our finances hang in the balance. My weekly routine of hopping on and off of planes to speak to a group of men has been replaced by staying home. My once-longed-for desire of just pulling the plug and sitting in front of the TV has been replaced by being absolutely tired of TV. And as this has happened, I have come to the harsh reality that I’ve looked into a mirror many times over the past decade, only to immediately forget what I look like.

But now it’s not just a single mirror that I can simply turn away from. With every distraction, and even my very occupation, being  temporarily removed, I feel like I’m standing in a veritable Fun House full of mirrors. And no matter where I turn, there’s another mirror in front of me. Just like that Fun House, every mirror casts a different reflection – a radically distorted reflection of who God truly wants me to be.

My “Husband Mirror” zooms into me close up, revealing that I’ve spent way too much time being “Me” centered. I always talk about my day and rarely ask about hers.

The “Spending Time with Family Mirror” casts a skinny reflection, showing me that I don’t spend enough time with them.

The “Tithing Mirror” distorts me so that I look fat, clearly reflecting that I’ve been storing up instead of sowing. The unfounded fear of lack has caused me to keep it all for myself. I’ve grown bloated from withholding what really belongs to God.

My “Fatherhood Mirror” sometimes just makes me disappear completely, as I’ve focused on work and ministry year after year after year.

My “Time with God Mirror” makes me look short. Just like the time I spend with Him.

Everywhere I turn, God is revealing something that I’ve been doing my way, and now, no matter which direction I turn, He shows me something else. I can no longer turn and walk away from one mirror and forget, because there’s always yet another mirror in front of me.

And one by one, in the midst of seemingly having nothing left, He is revealing that I already have everything. We all do.

So much good is coming out of this season:

I’m spending more quality face-to-face time with my wife, and I’m listening more than I’m speaking. Or at least I’m a work in progress with that one.

I’m now more connected with my kids than I have been in years, because I’m intentional about reaching out to them. Nothing is competing for my time.

In spite of not knowing what our financial future holds, and facing a monumental shift in our day-to-day life as a ministry, I’ve rededicated myself to being an obedient and joyful tither because God says: “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” – Malachi 3:10 NIV

With the gym closed, and no urgent email replies needed, I’ve again put my quiet time with God in first position. And not just a verse or two, but dedicated time to study His Word, meditate on it, and devoted prayer time.

I’ve made a solemn commitment to not carry my old habits back into my life after this momentary time of introspection. I’m pressing into the King of kings, and I’m leaving the results up to Him. I’m going to emerge from this season with only a single mirror, and I won’t forget what I look like ever again.

What about you? What is God showing you in this time of mandatory rest and solitude?

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” – Philippians 1:6 NKJV

David Dusek is founder and director of Rough Cut Men Ministries, author of  the #1 Best Selling “Rough Cut Men: A Man’s Battle Guide to Building Real Relationships With Each Other and With Jesus” and creator of the “Who Has Your Six” Men’s Ministry Video Series. Rough Cut Men has been presented to NASCAR teams, at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy, at military bases around the world and at hundreds of churches and men’s conferences of every denomination around the world. To find out more about the Rough Cut Men, or to book David for an upcoming men’s event, head over to our website and Contact Us.

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For some background, all “Firsties” get selected prior to graduating from the Academy.  Some “Mids” head to flight school to become fighter pilots, while others go to BUD/s School to become SEALS.  Another route as a newly commissioned Navy officer is to become a SWO, or Surface Warfare Officer, aboard a ship.  And the really hardcore guys head to Quantico, home of the IOC or “Infantry Officer Candidate” school, where they get beat up for ten grueling weeks.  Many of them don’t make the cut.

Well, there was no doubt where this kid wanted to go after graduation.  He was a “Semper Fi” to the core.  Ironically, the selection process occurred during the week of my visit to the USNA.  Every senior that I met had a big grin on his face, as they had pulled the exact duty station that they wanted.  Except for my friend.

After four years at the Naval Academy, he was punched in the gut when the Marine Corps opted to not select him for IOC.  Instead, he was heading to a ship.  And he looked like someone had just killed his cat.  I remember telling this Christian young man, “Never look at things as rejection, but direction.  God has something better in mind.”  In hindsight, I’m surprised he didn’t kill me right there.  I think we all know what it’s like when some moron puts a spiritual spin on terrible news, and here I was, dishing it out.

After two years, he suddenly appeared in my Facebook inbox.   He told me how miserable he was on board a ship, and was still reeling about not being selected for Marine IOC.  He asked for my prayers, then disappeared again for several months.

The just recently, he popped up on my screen again.  He asked that I keep him in my thoughts (notice he didn’t say “prayers” this time).  After a little probing, he told me that he had gotten connected with a fellow officer who said he was a believer.  After a while, his Christian “mentor” got him involved in some sort of ministry and ultimately drained this young officer of most of his bank account.  My young friend had prayed to God for a “father figure”, because his real dad had all but abdicated the position.  And he got burned.  He did inform me, however, that he was able to break away from the ministry prior to being deployed (I still have no idea where he is, as it’s classified).  The last entry of this particular rant ended, quite succinctly, with:

“I have decided to end my walk with God.  Permanently.”

Now I can give you all the details, but then I’d have to kill you.  Not really, but let’s just say that this kid got blasted by a fellow believer.  I am still doing major damage control, but the long and short of it is that he’s back on the team and I’m somehow mentoring him in spite of a seven hour time difference and lousy shipboard internet.

Gentlemen, we are our own worst enemy sometimes.  All it takes is a guy like my buddy met to permanently repel a guy from the Kingdom.  This isn’t the first time I’ve met a man who threw the Jesus baby out with the sinner’s bathwater.  It happens all the time.

Remember that we are dealing with men who are in spiritual triage. Some Christian guy before us may have shot our brother dead.  Take time to get to know his story, and show him what a man of God really is.  And never, ever violate his trust.  That just gives God a black eye…

Photo Credit: The Gospel Coalition

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As our pastor spoke on addictions this morning, I slowly started to check out.  I did the personal inventory of the usual suspects:  I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t do pornography.  Yep, I’m all good.  Then came revelation, through a simple series of statements from the pulpit:

1.  An addiction is an idol. 

 2.  An idol is something that, while completely unworthy of taking a front seat to God, still does.

 As I chewed on these bullet points, feeling bad for all of those sorry folks sitting around me who were addicted to their own idols, I heard that ever-convicting still, small voice echoing in my head.  It was a third point, aimed directly at me like a sniper:

3.  Your ministry is your idol.

Like any good minister type, I argued vehemently against that:  “But in order to do everything with excellence, I have to spend time making sure we put out quality ministry stuff. “  Or even worse, “I’m doing Your work, Lord.”

If you’ve ministered, or pastored as a vocation, for more than a week, you’ve said these exact same words to someone at some point.  Maybe we’ve even validated it to God, who, by the way, isn’t in the business of getting more “Likes”, selling more books, or filling more seats.  He’s in the business of saving souls.  Period.

So then comes the pressing question that we must all ask ourselves:  “Have I gotten so busy working ON the ministry that I’ve forgotten to work IN it?”

As we are directing our ministry, are we so consumed by the content that we forget about the Author?

When we have a church staff meeting, is the majority of our time spent discussing strategy, promotion, budget numbers and building issues?

Are we validating our ministerial existence by the number of butts in sanctuary seats, “Likes” on our page or followers on Twitter?

When we wake up in the morning, are we first burdened for the lost, or consumed by the business of running the ministry?

If you’re like me, my guess is that you answered “Yes” to some, or all, of the aforementioned questions.  And you are probably introspectively arriving at the same conclusion that I did:  My ministry has slowly become my idol.

Sure, we all start out with a Holy Spirit fire to reach people.  We don’t give a rip about money or how it will all work out, right?  We’re just faithful, and God handles the results.

But somewhere along the way, we slowly eek God out of our routine.  I mean, we’re doing His work, so it’s all good, right?  Suddenly, our morning quiet time is usurped by meetings, or people who need us.  Writing messages becomes a focal point, and if the series is good enough, we can write a book.  Before too long, we are so far ahead of God that we can’t even see Him when we turn around.

Truth is, we are working so hard to build our own little kingdoms that we’re no longer building God’s Kingdom.

So here’s what I propose.  If you run a ministry, or pastor a church, it’s time to return to basics.  Do a quick inventory of how you spend your time.  Is there a personal quiet time in there, with no option for rescheduling it?  After all, we’re in the “family” business and we need a good hookup with the Father.

Tomorrow morning, get back into your quiet time.  No, not message prep.  Quiet time.  Find a corner and hide in it.  Just you and God.

At the next staff meeting, shelve all of the budget talk and production issues.  And just pray.  Don’t let that prayer degenerate, as it often does, into asking God to bless your church.  It ain’t about you.

Remember, in the Old Testament, when little Josiah finally reconnected the Israelites with the Word, and tore down all of the Asherah poles and high places?  God was quick to restore the nation and Josiah became one of the greatest kings in Judah.

Put God back on top, tear down that ministry idol, and watch what He does with the message He originally gave you, before you got all buried in the business of ministry.

After all, God is about people. If our time is taken up with anything but His people, then it’s an idol.  It’s this simple:

You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 

 Rev 2:4b-5 NIV

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