Find yourself discouraged?

You are not alone, and it will not be the last time.

So, now that I’ve brightened your day with those words of encouragement…

If you have been serving in ministry leadership for more than a day or two, you have likely experienced discouragement.  It is a reality of life, but I have especially found it to be true in my ministry over the years.

Here are some things I have found to be true in regards to discouragement and ministry:

1. It usually comes out of nowhere

It is crazy I know, but I usually find myself fighting discouragement when things are going pretty well.  I look around and try to take inventory of things to find what could be leading to the discouragement, but cannot really find much to complain about.

Sure there are times when things are not going as well as I would like and that can be discouraging.  I seem though in those moments to be able to process it a little better, because it is expected to some degree.

2. Most around me do not know or notice that I am discouraged

This is partially because it often happens when things are going rather well.  It is also because I have probably gotten very good at hiding it over the years.

Ministry is a train that never stops.  If we stopped every time we were not “feeling it,” we would go very far.

It happens also because we all run such a pace of life, that we often fail to notice when those around us are struggling.

3. It often reveals sin in my life

God has often used it in my life to reveal sin in m life.  In particular, that of pride, selfishness, or arrogance.  The discouragement seems to often be driven by my personal inward struggles to accomplish (or the lack there of) things I selfishly wish to be doing, or wish to have.

4. It can be distracting and paralyzing if I allow it to be

If I allow myself to dwell on it, it will affect my family and my ministry.  If I do not readily run to Jesus with the weight I am feeling in the discouragement with ready confession and worship, it will continue to linger.

There are several steps I find myself routinely taking to overcome discouragement though.  Those I will cover in the next post, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, are you finding yourself discouraged?  How have you dealt with discouragement in the past?  Leave a comment below and share one thing you have seen in your life when it comes to discouragement.