It seems like there's this unwritten rule amongst people that are in ministry that they should always look like they want to be there doing what they are doing. If we are honest though, we know that isn't always the case. There are times when we are just tired. Worn down. Exhausted. And the very last thing we want to do is go and serve others.
Let's face it, ministry is hard. Being a tech director is hard. Combine those two into a tech director/minister and you have a combination of roles that many people cannot really relate to. If you are working a tech job in the secular world you are allowed to come in and not be friendly and Christ-like in your actions. But in church we are supposed to be setting an example of love and compassion.
Know Your Limits
Before we talk about how to serve when we don't feel like it we need to explore why we don't feel like it. This usually is a result of not recognizing the warning signals in our life.
•Are you starting to dread showing up on Sunday morning?
•Are you having dreams at night of everything that can go wrong?
•Do you find yourself losing your temper externally or internally when things go wrong or when you are asked to do things?
•Are there bitter attitudes and words that you feel like you are suppressing but really wish you could let loose?
If you can answer “yes” to any of these it is time to step back and take a hard look at your life and your ministry.
Every winter I like to head to mountains to go skiing and I love to push myself to the limits. If I get to the top of a particularly challenging slope that I feel is beyond my level of skill I will find an alternate way down, because I know my limits. It wasn't always this way. A few years back I was skiing through a particularly technical section in the trees. Tree skiing requires lightning quick turns and you often don't have room to slow down or stop. As I was skiing I lost control and wiped out onto a rock and ended up cracking my rib. I was fortunate, because it could have been much worse, but I realized that if I take on more than I can handle I will likely end up hurting myself. The same is true for ministry.
Create Sustainability
Have you integrated sustainability into the rhythms of your life? In music you will often find various dynamics in a song. Some parts will be loud and busy and other parts will be soft and simple and this is an important aspect to making a song sound great. In our life, we also need to have those periods of rest.
It is very easy to procrastinate taking times of solitude and reflection, so you should schedule it in. My suggestion is to get a hobby and participate in it at least once each week. I recently launched a church and at the same time took up flyfishing as a way to regularly get outside and enjoy God's creation without the stress of church-life.
Monthly you should take a day out of your schedule to just seek God and pray. If you work for a church this is probably something that your pastor will allow you to do if you ask politely and promise to give them a Gaither's CD. (Ha!)
Choose Joy
Even if you know your limits and you have built a sustainable life there will still be times you just don't feel like serving. That's OK. We all feel that way. But now is the time to choose joy.
Nehemiah 8:10 Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!
Happiness is determined by the things that happen to us, but joy is something that comes from within. As we reflect on the great things God has done for us we can choose to respond with joy and serve with a joyful heart.
