I’ve been there. You know God has called you to ministry, but your passion is waning, if not gone. Going to work in the morning can be a battle. If that’s where you are, maybe these suggestions will help you. If you’re still on fire for God’s work, I pray these ideas will fuel for fire so it doesn’t go out.
- Pray for passion. God knows your heart, so be honest. Ask Him to give you fire in your bones for His work. Today’s fire can quickly be quenched, so pray every day.
- Relive your calling. I know how strongly God called me to His work more than 40 years ago. When I remember that experience + the affirmation of God’s people, my heart leaps again for His work.
- Watch for glimpses of God’s glory. You don’t need to see mountains move to press forward. Watch for that layperson making a right decision, that staff member growing a bit, that lost person asking the right questions. Live in the light of the glimpses.
- Tell somebody the good news. Nothing renews our spiritual vigor like telling somebody the gospel. Get back to doing evangelism, and your passion will grow.
- Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. It’s a tough but glorious text. When we can rejoice that God leaves thorns in our flesh, we can live in victory regardless of what we face. In fact, we find God’s strength in our weakness.
- Stop doing something you don’t like to do and don’t have to do. Whatever it is (for me, it’s some of my administrative tasks), get it off your plate by giving it to someone more gifted. Even if you’re a single staff member, you can find a layperson who can help you. Delegation can do wonders to help you refocus.
- Forgive somebody. Anger and bitterness consume us and rob us of God’s blessings. If you forgive someone, you break one of the enemy’s strongholds in your life. That’s freeing.
- Take a day off. I almost left this one off the list because I don’t do this well. I do know from experience, though, that worn out, dreary eyes seldom see all that God is doing around you.
- Plan to go on a mission trip. Turn your heart outward by taking the gospel to needy, hurting, and unbelieving people. Go, and you might see the shallowness of your current discouragement.
- Get gut-wrenchingly honest about your sin. If you have private sin in your life, come clean with somebody. No ministry passion can endure disobedience, as unforsaken sin will ALWAYS eat at your soul.
If you’ve sensed a re-igniting of your ministry passion, how did it happen? Let us learn from you.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published at chucklawless.com
MDiv Preaching and Pastoral Ministry
The Preaching and Pastoral Ministry track prepares students for pastoral ministry in the local church with a special emphasis on expository preaching.
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