Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash
It is easy to get started; to start a new job or ministry, jump into a new idea or opportunity. But, somewhere along the way, reality sets in, and you begin to find your passion waning.
It might be because you’re bored, it got hard, didn’t go how you expected it to, or somewhere in between.
But every leader has found themselves running out of steam.
What drains your passion? This could be tasks, situations, or people. It might be things that are part of your job, or you have found yourself doing.
We all have tasks we don’t love and people in our lives that can drain us of energy and passion. The reality is you may have to keep doing those things or working with those people. This isn’t about getting out of things or not doing things, although that might be something to explore. This is simply being aware of what drains or takes a lot of energy for you to do and figuring out the best time to do those things.
Too many pastors do their least enjoyable tasks during peak performance hours, which Carey Nieuwhof calls “your green zone.”
Yes, ministry and leadership can be draining, but we are often our worst enemies when it comes to our schedules and working against ourselves.
Can you do a ministry you aren’t passionate about? At some point, you have to ask yourself if you are passionate about your work.
This doesn’t mean you should quit. Many people are leaving or thinking about quitting ministry right now. Some pastors are working in roles they aren’t gifted or wired to be in, working in churches they don’t believe in, or living in places they don’t love.
Does that mean you should quit? Maybe. Maybe not.
You need to ask if you are passionate about your work. If you aren’t, why aren’t you?
Life is too short to do a job or work at a church you aren’t passionate about. Now, you have to know why you aren’t. You might have an unrealistic expectation for a job or a church; the job or church might not be where it will eventually be.
You can work at a church or do a job you don’t love, but you need to understand why you feel the way you do. Maybe you need to tweak some things about your role, or you might need to learn some contentment in your position or the church you are a part of.
But this can be a sticking point for you. I remember being told by someone that you could stay in a role that didn’t bring you life for about 18 months, and then it would eat you alive. I’m not sure where he came up with that number, but for my life and watching others, there seems to be a lot of truth.
What keeps your passion high? Your job as a leader and pastor is to keep your passion high. No one else can do it for you. No one else will do it for you.
What does that mean for you? What keeps your passion for what you do white hot?
This can be very personality and temperament specific, so you need to learn these things about yourself.
Just as important as knowing who and what can drain your passion and energy, you must know who and what gives you more energy and passion for what you do.
At the end of the day, pastors, remember this:
You must figure out how to keep yourself encouraged, your hope high, and your passion white-hot.
You will get tired, your vision will get fuzzy, and you might want to quit. All of that is normal. But you must keep yourself close to Jesus.
