Never Alone, Never Useless

When I lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico I was honored to know a man named J.B. Duke. He was a strong but gentle Christ-follower who loved to drive a red Ford truck. He would take a couple of us pastors on an annual quail hunt in the eastern desert farmlands of the state and there we would see how the desert, sand-filled winds can impact the homes, cars and trees. If you saw a tree in the middle of the desert you knew it earned the right to stand there, even if it looked tired and worn.

I listened to a podcast this week that explored a recent study by the Barna Group on the state of pastors. Some things have gotten better in the pastoral world and some things have gotten worse. Regardless, a concept that is being revisited in pastoral circles is “Resiliency.” The hope of the study is that it will be used to help leaders develop tools designed to build resiliency in pastors.

Nearly 25 years ago I went to a pastors conference and was horrified at how much brokenness was around me. I remember asking, “Why did God call me to this?” 25 years later I have as much joy for the ministry as I ever have had. Yes, life events, criticism, change and adversity have me a bit more windblown than when I began but I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything.

How then can we live a life of purpose, even in pastoral ministry, and live resilient lives despite the sandy desert winds howling around us? There actually are many things a person can employ but here are 7 tips that have helped me in my ministry.

  1. Remind yourself often that you are never alone. No matter how lonely you feel, you are never alone. The physical or social proximity of people may vary but God will never leave you alone. Find a friend who will remind you often that you are never alone.
  2. Remind yourself often that your effort is never useless. It is hard to imagine this when people are walking out the door faster than they are walking in. It is hard to remember this when you look around at what appears to be the success of others while you struggle to pay your bills. This is hard to remember when all you see on social media is the positive hype that others present. Your effort matters to God.
  3. Revisit your calling often. In the hard times the enemy will tell you that you are not cut out for ministry. That is a lie. If you are called then God will use you to help His Kingdom come and His will be done through you.
  4. Recommit to spiritual growth. Don’t confuse preaching and teaching with spiritual growth. I know you know this already but, as TD Jakes said, “If I have to put my own hands on my own head I will spend my time with almighty God.”
  5. Recommit to learning. A lot has changed in the past 25 years of ministry. Unless there is some unforeseen event, the next 25 years will see the pace of change continue to accelerate. This requires a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development.
  6. Invest in the next generation. Someone needs to take your place when you are done in your place of service and tomorrow is not the time to start getting that person ready. Find someone to invest in who could take your place of ministry and begin investing in them today.
  7. Take time to play. I learned quickly that pastors are not invincible. In order to be resilient in ministry we need to take the time to play. Yes, ministry is serious business with eternal implications but we need to re-create regularly. Weekly sabbaths, vacations and sabbaticals are critical to our resiliency as pastors and leaders. 

If the winds of pastoral ministry have you feeling stripped of hope and sapped of strength, be encouraged. You are never alone and your work is not useless. You may feel horrible but you have earned the right to speak into peoples lives. Your adversity is a tool God can use to proclaim hope, life and peace in Christ. Now go find someone who looks windblown and let the Holy Spirit breath life into that life through you.