Today we celebrate  Labor Day in the Philippines, and, I have just come from the long weekend “Labor” break. Over the weekend I got to talk to Cathy, one of our worship leaders in church. She was telling us how she already has her dream job, and how she wants to be able to do it for ten, twenty, even more years.

That conversation with Cathy made me think. So, how do we do that? How does one stay on at a job for decades without losing steam, without losing the passion for excellence? Can it really be sustained? Or is it just the excitement of youth that keeps the fire burning? Specifically, how do we sustain serving in the ministry, when our job entails that we give, every single day?

Through more than twenty years of working and serving in the ministry, I have learned to value relationships that sustain. That if I want to keep doing what I’m doing, I need to develop habits to nurture these key relationships. So, what are these?

First is with God. Devotion to Jesus. Christianity has got to be more than just something we believe in. It is a relationship with a person, and more than that, it is a devotion. Our allegiance is not just to a cause, It is to a Person. For in Him, we live, and move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). This has got to be the most personal relationship we have in life. While it stands above everything else, it also affects everything else in life.

Second is with our family. Commitment to Family. There is a family we are born or adopted into. It is not perfect, but it is ours. And as such, we have to be so committed to seeing it work, seeing God’s purpose fulfilled through our family, that we put in the effort and the hours it will entail. To honor your father and mother is the first commandment with a promise. That it may go well with you (Deuteronomoy 5:16). That is more than just words. In it come and follow every promise Heaven brings.

Third and last is our community. Involvement in the Church Community. To work for the ministry doesn’t always mean involvement. Our involvement has got to be more than skin deep, more than the hours we clock in and the work we do. There is a sharing of life that happens. This means we have relationships where we allow others to speak into our lives. This means, every single day, we say no to disposable relationships. Because, only this kind of church, and this kind of relationships will help us overcome in life.

Yes, serving in the ministry is sustainable, but not without a price. We need to develop habits to nurture these relationships. I have been at it for more than two decades already, and every day, I still learn something new through these relationships God has given me.