Being a person of forwardness starts with simple caring. Being someone who loves people.
After being in ministry for over 25 years and being around pastors in training situations a LOT, I have an observation. A lot of us are burned out. We need a break, a vacation. We need to learn to really take a day off each week. We need to learn to live in balance to the point where we are able to see people and really love them.
Until we can really love people, we are of little use to God.
For whatever reason, most pastors I know don’t truthfully enjoy people. This may be a difficult concept to swallow. If you are like virtually all pastors I am connected with your first inclination is to deflect this suggestion. “That may be true of others, but not for me. I love people. I really love people.”
Step One:
Ask God to give you a fresh heart for people.
Don’t stop with the people who are the already gathered. By the way, those are nearly always the MOST CHALLENGING to love. The ones you have a history with have already worn you out in many cases. The chronic ones - the ones who stand in line for special prayer for either non-existent issues (the real issue is they are starving for attention).
A thought to ponder:
Some of you have burned out on the current group you are leading. Maybe things have gotten to the point that you need to consider moving on to something new - to a new group of people.
If you have gotten to the point where you realize this group is no longer moving forward with you - for whatever reason - the “Board” is dug in so deeply they are in a “we’ll outlast you” mentality - there are a number of reasons for arriving at this conclusion…
- perhaps it is time to move on.
A mantra I have used now and then at times like this may fit:
“There have to be more profitable ways to be miserable…”
If that fits where you are, ponder moving forward.
Life is too short to wallow in your misery. Better stated - don’t make your spouse and children live in misery. You WILL regret that later - guaranteed. No matter what anyone says to you, their mental and emotional health is the big deal.




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