#1 – How is your emotional health—REALLY?
Ministry is draining…it always has been and always will be. You know you are beginning to be drained emotionally when…
- You find yourself in a constant state of anger with the people who work with you for petty reasons…or no reason at all.
- You continually have imaginary arguments with people in your mind over things that really do not matter…but seem to set you off for some reason.
- You begin to not like the people you are actually called to minister to.
- Your marriage is strained and you can’t quite figure out why.
- You have zero time and energy to give to your kids at the end of the day…and you see them as more of a burden and not a blessing.
- You often have thoughts of quitting ministry altogether.
- Your thoughts about/struggles with immoral/unethical issues begin to become more frequent.
- You can’t sleep at night and have a hard time staying awake during the day.
I could go on…but I am sure by now you get the point.
SO…if you are struggling emotionally how do you snap out of it? Let me share three ways…
First – you have GOT to tell someone. You cannot go on pretending that everything is great with you while you are actually dying inside. Get your leadership team together, your elders, your board…SOMEONE…but do not buy into the lie that you MUST bear that burden alone.
Second – you’ve got to begin to have some fun in your life. Pastors often struggle with this because they think that going out and doing something “fun” while there is so much to be done is sin…but I KNOW from personal experience that when I allow myself to disconnect and do something that I enjoy I get my batteries recharged…AND…it is during those times that I usually come up with some really great ministry ideas.
Third – you MAY need to seek professional help! I’ve heard it said that there are two types of people in the world…those that go to counseling and then everyone else that needs to go to counseling.
For a really long time I thought I could battle burnout with prayer and minor changes…and THAT mentality nearly killed me. Finally Jud Wilhite, a great friend of mine told me about John Walker and the Blessing Ranch…and so this past October I spent a week out there…and I cannot describe how God used that experience to rock my world and pull me out of a pretty insane cycle. (BTW…I also took my wife…which I would HIGHLY recommend if you do this sort of thing.)
Some of you reading this need to take THAT step! (Here is the link for the Blessing Ranch. Yes, it does cost money…BUT some of you reading right now can’t afford NOT to go!!!)
Pastor…no one is going to take charge of your emotional health. You are responsible…and if you flame out then you have no one to blame but yourself.
So…do what it takes…take charge…you are way too important to be another ministry casualty!