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wings001 -> Achieving Balance in Your Ministry (5/14/2008 11:43:44 AM)
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Achieving Balance in Your Ministry
Lonely, tired, stressed, overextended, uninspired, distracted, frustrated, passionless, and discouraged - many shepherds are struggling to lead their flock because their lives are out of balance and/or unfulfilling.
Is your life, your priorities and commitments, in balance? How effectively and efficiently are you running your ministry? Where are things bogged down? Are you getting sufficient rest and relaxation? Do you delegate appropriately? Does your family feel neglected because you are over-committed or too tired to be attentive to their needs? Are you regularly listening to God's call as you renew and refine your vision? Are you attempting to do something or be someone outside of your calling? Where do you need to "let go and let God?"
Your job as pastor or as head of a ministry is perhaps the most dangerous of all professions when it comes to burn-out and "workaholism." It is absolutely imperative that you guard yourself, your family, and your church or ministry against the devastation that can occur from imbalance and fatigue.
Even Jesus, who was God incarnate, took time to get away from the masses and renew himself by being alone with the Father. He also knew when he needed to rest. Jesus was never in a hurry or frantic. He was purposeful but peaceful. He spent quality time with those to whom he was the closest. Jesus took care of his own needs as well as those of his followers. He understood that he could best fulfill his ministry by giving to others from a position of wholeness.
There are many examples in the Gospels of how Jesus maintained his balance and focus. He had singleness of purpose and did not allow others' agendas to get him off track. Even though many of his followers expected him to become an earthly king, he knew what he was here to do and did not allow them to push him off his path. Jesus was confrontational when necessary and wasn't afraid to say "no" to requests that didn't correspond with his mission.
When we feel frustrated or ineffective, it is important to ask ourselves if we are trying to get ahead of God or make something happen rather than patiently following God's lead. Jesus said he did what he saw the Father doing. Jesus also recognized that God's timing and purposes don't always make sense to people. (The disciples couldn't understand why he delayed after hearing that Lazarus was dying. Peter, Jesus' right hand man, tried to talk him out of doing what he had come to do. His own mother didn't understand and Jesus at least once had to turn her away and stay focused on what needed to be done.)
So, how do we accomplish all God has called us to do without losing our focus, becoming overextended, or allowing our lives to get out of balance?
Let me suggest three main principles:
1) Be a God-pleaser not a people-pleaser
One of the biggest temptations in ministry is to try to make everyone happy. If you fall into this, without question you will be frustrated and overworked. If you struggle with pleasing others you must learn to say "no" without feeling guilty. When I first began to break out of my need to please everyone, I had to force myself to say "no" to practically every request at least initially. After praying about it, I would then sometimes get back to the person who had asked and let them know I had reconsidered and believed God did indeed want me to be involved. Even then I found it essential to not over-commit, and to continue listening to God's Spirit as I moved forward.
Beware of the power of your promises! Don't promise more than you can reasonably deliver, and don't agree to do something just to get someone off your back. You will live to regret it, and often relationships will be damaged by feelings of resentment or regret.
2) Love and care for yourself and your family first
While it is exciting and often fulfilling to be involved in many different ministries and to feel you are affecting the lives of your parishioners and the surrounding community in many positive ways, you will burn out if you don't take care of your own needs first.
Many years ago there was a popular acronym: J-O-Y, Jesus - Others - Yourself which was supposed to be a guide for living. The implication was that we are to put Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last. The only problem with this is that if you live by this model you never get around to your own needs. Yes, Jesus must be first and foremost in our lives, but I contend that you need to be second - not last. When you get what you need and provide care to those closest to you first (your family), then you can give to others from a position of abundance and be a spring of Living Water from which others will be nourished.
3) Play to your strengths while delegating as many tasks as you can to people who have the abilities to complete them
I have the good fortune of being able to work for myself and get to decide (with some input from my wife) how I will spend my time and what projects need to take priority. My desire is to honor God in my choices and to fulfill my calling. Running my own business, however, doesn't always mean doing what I most enjoy or what I feel are my greatest talents. So, I have to choose which tasks to pay someone else to do, and which to do myself.
In my experience it is often a wise choice to delegate or outsource jobs that I find unappealing and/or difficult. While it isn't always cost effective for me to do this and there will always be some menial tasks which I have to suffer through, I have found that my energy level and passion are much higher when I can focus on doing what I do best - and what I love. Delegation creates room in your life to do what you do best and what you are passionate about -- those special individualized things that you were uniquely created to do.
Don't let Satan steal your joy or mute your passion by getting your life out of balance or weighting you down with a heavy load. Remember Jesus' words: "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
-William Kuntz, M.S., LCSW, Licensed Psychologist, Life Coach
www.NewBeginningsCoaching.ws
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