8/21/2021 by Larry Barker
The last 18 months have certainly dragged on and challenged us. We have seen five storms rise up on the horizon to then move in and engulf us. We must be careful to not overdramatize our situation but we must also be honest about our struggles. Barnabas and Paul make us aware of this in Acts 14:22, “strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, ‘It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.’” Our storms have not equaled what many have endured for the cause of Christ, especially Paul.
The reality is though that prolonged stress will drain you and deplete you of any reserve energy, stamina, or endurance you might have built up. When this season began, at first, we believed it would just be a blizzard. We thought we could just hunker down for a couple of weeks and then reemerge basically unscathed. We ran and prepared by buying up all of the toilet paper, bottled water, and bread that we could. It became apparent to us that this was not a blizzard but a very hard winter. Now we had to figure out how to survive this season because greater changes had to be made as everyone scrambled to figure out how we could adapt.
Several churches became very creative with drive-in church, live stream, and hosting Bible studies and trainings online. Zoom became the relationship sustainer and we believed that soon spring would be here but culturally we entered an ice age. The storms of global infirmity (COVID-19), economic insecurity (businesses shutting down and inflation), racial inequality (George Floyd murder and racism), political incivility (extremism on both sides with a wide chasm between the two), and social instability (riots, looting, and cities set on fire). Now, no matter what you did it was scrutinized and attacked, even in our churches.
Most of us have less energy than we had 18 months and feel the weight of the times we live in. Allow me to state clearly that outrage is not a strategy. Yet, the outrage is real and it is hard to recognize the place we live in from just 2-3 years ago. If you were already running on empty before this ice age hit, you were really in trouble and it escalated very quickly. Even spiritually and emotionally, these storms wear on you and drain you of your emotional and spiritual reserves even if you were in a good place. You cannot continue to press forward without refueling, recharging, and reenergizing. The stress, exhaustion, and strain are real.
The first thing you should do is permit yourself to be human. The attacks of the enemy are real, continual, and meant to break us but our God can use them to make us into who He desires us to be. You are not bulletproof and it is hard to maintain thick skin and a tender heart. The pressure is real and you should not press ahead alone without Him and friends God has placed in your life for accountability and encouragement. You might be thinking that you should not be feeling this way or be this discouraged, or having these emotions but you are. The question is, “What are you going to do about it?”
All ministry leaders must be keenly aware of the dangers of role immersion. Pastors and leaders are expected to be available 24/7 more than ever before. Now, because of cell phones, we can even receive a text at 11:30 pm letting us know how we have messed up and how disappointed they are in us. These storms have caused presumptive criticism to increase to new heights. Everyone seems to presume that they know how to handle the situation better than we have. Please seek the advice of others because if you want to move ahead faster in your decisions then do it alone but if you want to go further then do it together.
What are you doing to promote spiritual health and vitality in your daily walk with Christ? Are you taking and implementing the advice you are giving to others in this area? Only you can make sure that your intimacy with Christ is increasing every day. Tony Evans has said, “Spiritual intimacy with God expands spiritual capacity.” What is promoting spiritual resilience and perseverance in your life? The Message (a paraphrase) says this in Romans 12:11-12, “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.”
What are you doing to make sure the ministry does not consume you? You face role immersion and role complexity (wearing way too many hats) and role ambiguity (many do not understand the weight of the ministry). Moses stood before a burning bush but the miracle was not that it burned. Burning bushes were not that uncommon in the desert but the miracle was that it burned and was not consumed. The bush was fueled and kept aflame by the presence of the Lord. If you press forward in your own energy and efforts you will most likely be consumed. There have been many who have flamed up and fizzled out.
Unless we learn to allow God to transform our brokenness (check out Romans 12:2), we will transfer our brokenness to our congregation. Every day our resources and energy are being drained. Every day we need to refuel and recharge. You can only run off of your adrenaline for so long. What are you doing to thrive and flourish amid this ice age? As a leader are you taking the advice you are giving everyone else about rest, sabbath, and Godly rhythms? Are you being a maverick by trying to go it alone when you know God never meant for you to walk this path alone?
We are here for you and we are here to help! Call us, email us, and reach out to us so we can pray with you, encourage you, and walk this journey with you!