Dear Church Ministry Leader…
It’s Monday, July 10 and it’s going to be ok! This particular post is for the Pastor or Church Ministry Leader who is still feeling the pressures from the previous day. It get it! Every church ministry leader goes through it. In my earliest years of ministry I used to say I would bomb once a month! 20 years laters, the state has improved, BUT only a little. We all have challenging Sundays. Maybe you’re feeling a bit insecure about your sermon or lesson. Maybe you had one run in after another - perhaps with an unruly member or with uncooperative technology. The best news is, IT’S HAPPENS. The better news is, GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE! While today is Monday, it is a NEW DAY and God’s mercies are new every morning — EVEN MONDAY MORNINGS! Here are a few reminders to help you endure your Monday… especially after a rough Sunday.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Ministry struggles are normal and natural. We all endure the. We face challenges the world will never experience or know. The anxieties of church work is real! Even Paul after listing is litany of woes in 2 Corinthians 11:24-29 said in verse 28, “and a part from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”
GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! I do not want to lessen your feelings about Sunday. I’ definitely have experience. There have been many times where I’ve walked away from the pulpit feeling that I didn’t say enough or that my words seems to be tongue-tied. Some of the worst feeling are the times I walked away only to immediately sit down and remember all the things I forgot to say. Maybe it wasn’t the sermon or the lesson. Maybe it was tough day of undue criticism or a misunderstanding that got blow way out of proportion. It happens. The church is full of people and where ever there are people, there are problems. Just remember, on your worst Sunday the Lord’s words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9
PREACH THE WORD! Preach is not about you; it’s about the Word of God. We will stumble and fall — our words won’t always come out right, there will always be fatigue, and there will always be times where we feel inadequate, but I remind you God’s Word WILL NOT return void and it will fulfill it’s purpose (Isaiah 55:10-11). That’s God’s Word - be faithful to it.
LOOK WITHIN. Self-reflection is always a good thing so long as your are fair to yourself and the standard by which you are measuring is rooted in what God says about you and what HE has called you too. God’s grace is sufficient for you, have grace for yourself as well. Don;t forget to take care of yourself as you care for others. Learn from the previous day and move forward. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:23
RUN TO AND NOT FROM! Let’s just say you bombed the sermon or lost your cool with someone. That too happens. It’s in those times the temptation is to flee; to run away — not just from the problem, but from God. Friend, there’s no better place than the presence of God and that’s especially true when we mess up. RUN TO HIM! Find grace and mercy in your time of need. If you need to issue some apologies, do so with humility and grace. There’s not better way. Don’t be a hot-head.
DON’T FORGET THE POSITIVE! I don’t care how bad a Sunday went, there were ALWAYS some positives. I know for me that often what I thought went terrible wrong personally ended up impacting someone else positively. Ever feel like you’ve preached the worst sermon every only to have people come to you and thank you for speaking to them. Or… while you may have had a run-in with a disgruntled member, there were many others with whom you did not and they were pleasant or encouraging conversations. Don’t let the pessimistic voices drown out the positives.
GIVE GOD THE GLORY! Yes, even after your bad Sundays, give God' Glory on Monday! “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give the glory, for Your steadfast love and faithfulness.” - Psalm 115:1
Happy Monday My Friends! YOU ARE LOVED!
PastorPusch
