When You Lack Motivation...

drink more coffee. Go into the poverty areas & have dialog with the poor. do a soup kitchen. Take care of the destitute.

 

I'm not a pastor, but I think anyone who works in Christian ministries reaches a point where their enthusiasm is failing. There are times when it's Saturday afternoon and I do not have a SS lesson prepared and I find myself begging the Lord for an idea, a glimmer, anything! There are times I've called, written, sent cards and find mysef wondering why I bother keeping contact with these women when they refuse to come to church. That's when I look at myself and try to figure out if I need a trip to the ocean, if I need to pray more, or maybe I need to talk to someone who has a great ear for listening (that's generally my best friend) who'll let me talk out my frustrations, or whatever is really bothering me. I find that when I feel like this there is usually something else really bothering me. Once I have that worked out things are back to normal.

 

Pray through it, my brother. I'm going through such a period now. Fast and pray.

 

I understand as well. I can get that way as well, especially in a small work where it seems sometimes like you are spinning your wheels with no effect. I think all we can do is to stay faithful in prayer and personal Bible study and then just keep on going.

 

Or maybe you need to go do something else. Im not saying that to be mean, but being a pastor isnt for everyone.

 

If every pastor quit when motivation was lacking we would find ourselves pastorless. Read any biography and this is typical. Paul even went through and had to remind himself of the task before him - see 2 Corinthians 3-4.

 

You keep at it. Sunday's coming!

I reread Lloyd-Jones's "Preaching and Preachers" and that's a motivator on preaching. Criswell's book on pastoral ministry has been helpful, too.

 

Lloyd-Jones also has one called "Spiritual Depression" :thumbs:

 

I need to get the Lloyd-Jones book. He is one of my favourites.

 

Hard to believe I only paid $7.95 for Preaching and Preachers in 1971!!!! A book worth far more than that pittance. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, himself, has been a valued aid to many a preacher down through the years.

When he preached in his London Church, they had an opening hymn, prayer, read scriptures and preached for an hour or more, and one never tired of his preaching.

I highly recommend that book for every young man entering ministry.

Cheers,

Jim

PS. I forgot what this thread was about. Yes, we all go through stages when we wondered what we were doing in ministry. I say keep busy at something. I only left one church in my lifetime over frustration. I'm not sure whether they fired me or I quit, but I cam East and left ministry for a short time before I got hungry again. Hungry for the word, and hungry for the people. I say hunger is the key to keeping at ministry.

 

What do you other pastors do when you lack enthusiasm for study, sermon prep, or other pastoral ministries?

Time for a break. Sermon prep on the lawn mower or working on a project in the shop sometimes is just as effective as being glued to the computer screen, commentaries, and a struggle to make life come from a particular Bible verse. The next day it all seems to come together. Sometimes I have just given up the process and let it go. I have shown up in the pulpit with just my Bible, a passage to read, and God. Those have been some of the most effective sermons. I try to go to conferences at least twice a year. I need to be preached to, fed by another preacher or teacher, and re-challenged to fight the good fight.

 

Every Monday I walked the 18 holes of the local golf course. I paid green fees, but had no clubes..just walked in the peace and quiet of the course. Remember, in my day there was no computer!

Cheers,

Jim

 

I long for those days... sometimes!

I remember a preacher telling me not too long ago- must have been 1996 when he gave me my first laptop. He said, "Son, don't let this technology keep you from personal study in the Bible itself."

That pastor has since passed on but his words have stayed with me through the years.