Ministry is a rewarding calling, but it is not without challenges. In fact, a Google search for the words “pastoral discouragement” returns more than 400,000 results: articles, blog posts, and websites. Yet ministry does not have to remain mired in negativity.
Positivity requires maintenance.
Staying positive requires more than simply trying to have a good attitude. Your life is not a collection of independent systems and responsibilities. Every area of your life has an impact on the others. Your physical health influences your mental and spiritual well-being, and your relationships at home affect your relationships with colleagues.
If you want to maintain a positive approach to ministry, you need to consider your overall health.
Be mindful of your body.
There can be a number of different reasons for emotional struggles, but sometimes the problem is simply physical. Remember, emotions are chemical reactions in the brain, and if you are not physically healthy, it throws off the balance of those chemicals.
It might seem remedial, but here are three areas you need to keep an eye on in your quest to combat discouragement:
Sleep.
The average person needs about seven to nine hours of sleep a night. But to really get healthy in this area, work on sustaining a regular sleeping cycle. By going to bed and getting up at regular intervals, it is easier for your body to regulate your sleep/wake cycle.
Exercise.
Physical fitness helps people see the world differently. It gives you sharper memory and cognition, higher self-esteem, better sleep, and more resilience to everyday challenges. Taking care of your body through regular exercise in whatever form is manageable for you will impact you for the rest of your life.
Diet.
Your diet has a direct effect on both your physical and mental health. Processed and low-nutrient foods and sweets can have a cumulative adverse effect on how you feel. It is essential to maintain a schedule that allows you to eat well and plan for healthy foods instead of grabbing junk to fill the void between meetings.
Pay attention to the spiritual.
When people are out of balance spiritually, they tend to look for material remedies to repair equilibrium. As you know, regular prayer, worship, and Bible reading have a spiritual impact in the same way that exercise, diet, and sleep have a physical impact. You teach this to your congregation—do not neglect yourself.
Incorporate regular times of quiet into your schedule. Technology has made constant distraction an epidemic. Silence allows your mind to unwind and makes it a lot easier to be present with God and your surroundings. Pick times throughout your day when you can be quiet—maybe it is ten minutes before your day starts or as you wind down for the day. Use this quiet time to ruminate on God’s faithfulness and goodness in your life. This quiet reflection will benefit your spiritual health and reinforce a more positive outlook.
Observe your emotions.
It is easier to respond to feelings than it is to monitor them. But if you want to be more positive, you have to pay attention to your emotions and attitudes during the day. When you notice that you are feeling cynical, pessimistic, or simply not giving others the benefit of the doubt, pay attention to those clues and choose to be curious about why you are feeling that way. Whether you are able to identify the answer or not, you can choose to change your attitude. This means acknowledging things you can be grateful for and recognizing God’s hand and care in your life.
Invite people you trust to let you know when you might need to take a few moments for an attitude adjustment.
Guard your relationships.
The work of church leaders happens at the intersection of many critical relationships. Negotiating family, friend, and church member relationships can be tricky—especially when you are trying to help them grow their spiritual health as well as your own. Here are some suggestions for managing those relationships:
Family.
Be on your guard against sacrificing family relationships on the altar of the church. Not only does this create stress at home, it also creates nagging feelings of remorse, frustration, and resentment. When you set boundaries that protect these important relationships, you are pushing back against discouragement.
Friends.
The Bible has a lot to say about gossip for a good reason—it destroys community. Do not talk about one church member to another church member, and do not let people gossip with you. When a challenging conversation about an absent party is not about restoration or reconciliation, it is probably going off the rails. Set the example for how people are to speak about others.
Church members.
Be on your guard against sacrificing family relationships on the altar of the church. Not only does this create stress at home, it also creates nagging feelings of remorse, frustration, and resentment. When you set boundaries that protect these important relationships, you are pushing back against discouragement.
Practicing healthy habits can make all the difference.
Church leadership can be tough and demanding, but it does not have to get you down. Choose to be mindful of your overall health. Practicing these healthy habits will help guard your heart and mind from discouragement. By putting these important rhythms in place, you can set yourself up to more consistently experience positivity, enthusiasm, and confidence.
Let’s journey together.
You don’t need to do ministry alone. You can find opportunities to connect, plus more content and conversations about church administration, at XP Summit: xpsummit.org.
