It was years ago. I was a seminary student and a youth ministry volunteer at my church. Jannette Clift George was speaking at a conference for Christian leaders. George had played in the movie, “The Hiding Place” and had started the Christian acting troupe, the A.D. Players. The place was packed with people who wanted to hear what she had to say. She started talking about her investment in local church ministry. So often, she explained, she felt like she was all alone. She was trying to do things that would make a difference in the lives of people the church was seeking to meet and no one would help. No one would come along side her. George said that, again and again, she would pray for someone to help her. She felt alone and tired. She wanted to give up was felt like she was doing the will of God. So she kept plugging away. Finally, she said that she reached the end of what she could do. She told us that she looked to god and said, “I give up, God. That’s it! I give up.” Her next statement was what surprised me. She said, “I heard this sigh of relief from heaven.”

I didn’t get it. Why would George think God would be pleased by her giving up? It made no sense to me and hardly seemed like the kind of message you should give to a room of Christian leaders. “God is relieved when we finally give up”? Try to find that in the Bible.

Today, I think I understand what Jeannette Clift George was trying to say. So many of us think that real ministry is about doing more and more. We run from event to event trying to keep all of them going. We never stop to consider whether it makes any difference in the lives our the students we work with if we have one more laser tag event this month.

In John 4, Jesus was able to care for the needs of the woman at the well because he was sitting. He hadn’t gone into town with his disciples. He was simply available. I suppose Jesus knew the woman was coming–after all, he is God. I suppose he was waiting for her. But it still occurs to me that I can get so involved in the activities–in doing ministry, that I may not be available when I could be addressing the heart needs of students.

I don’t think George was telling us to give up on God or give up on the people we minister to. I think she was telling us to give up on our own agendas. Give up on trying to create a new a better youth event so students won’t go to the church down the street. Give up on trying to out-do your ice cream-o-rama from last month with more ice cream, more chocolate sauce, and more kids. Give up worrying whether you kids think you are the coolest youth leader in history. Give up.

Instead of all the activity, draw close to God. And look for students who need to be loved. Trust God to put the pieces together.