|
Table of Contents
Keys To Emotional Survival
Maintain spiritual well-being. Daily prayer, Bible study, and regular Christian fellowship help us grow spiritually and maintain our foundations.
Learn to depend on others. We all need others to help us maintain our emotional health. This can be done through accountability groups, friendships with other ministry families, and shared responsibility. (If we serve others, they will want to serve us.)
Accept personal limitations. People who commit themselves to ministry are often high achievers and/or highly sensitive. Learn to recognize signs of overwork and learn how to pace yourself. Know your capabilities and set boundaries.
Learn to expect and cope with change. Few things in life remain stable. We constantly change our position, portfolio, financial status, and friendships. Cultivate that which is stable in your life such as devotions, sleep, exercise, fun, vacation, family mealtimes, etc.
Cultivate meaningful leisure time. Most high achievers enjoy work and take little time for pleasure. We all need to know what activities refresh us emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Make sure to spend adequate leisure time engaged in those activities.
Evaluate. At regular intervals, take time to evaluate spiritual and practical goals and priorities. To do this, get away on 1- to 3-day retreats, sometimes alone, at other times with other leaders in your ministry.
Wayde I. Goodall, senior pastor, First Assembly of God, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
|
