My wife and I paid my truck off this week! Losing a car payment is a big deal and helps in the old pocketbook. Now the plan is to drive my truck until the wheels fall off. I do not want another vehicle payment anytime soon. The key to keeping the truck up and running as long as possible is preventative maintenance – changing the oil, regular tune ups, taking it in to get looked at if it starts acting up, etc. It seems obvious, but ignoring those things can lead to my truck literally blowing up and ceasing to work completely.
As leaders – especially spiritual leaders – we have to do ‘preventative maintenance’ in our lives as well. I saw an interview this week that Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church in Charlotte did with Ted Haggard. The interview was extraordinary, very moving. Haggard talked about how he knew he had sin issues in his life, but kept it secret for fear of losing his ministry and marriage. He advises us that if we have a secret in our life, it will have power over us until it no longer becomes a secret. If it’s a secret sin, God wants to get that out of our lives and wants it to come to light – either the easy way (we confess it to someone else) or the hard way (what happened to Haggard).
Essentially, Haggard is calling for preventative maintenance (which he wishes he would have done). Just like my truck, if there are problems with my truck that arise and I ignore them, disaster is immanent. In our own lives spiritually, we are headed for disaster if we do not take seriously the power sin can have in our lives – and do something about it.
Furtick closes the message by telling his church that he prays that he would “lead you well, finish well, and walk with integrity.” I like that. The only way that happens is through ‘preventative maintenance’ of the soul.
What preventative maintenance needs to be done in your life today?
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