The other day I almost ran out of gas. Now before I left my house I knew that the gas gauge was getting really low and I thought to myself, "I will stop and fuel up at the next gas station." Well like all of us, I got busy thinking about other things and started taking phone calls and txt's (not while I was driving of course:) Then all of a sudden my car started to sputter and luckily I was by a QT.
One of the lessons God has been teaching over the past 9 years is "Chris, pay attention to your emotional gauge." When it comes to burn out in ministry this is the one gauge that gets ignored the most, yet it is also the one gauge that causes ministers (and really all of us) to go off the deep end in life.
Your emotional gauge is different than your physical, spiritual & relational gauges. It's the one gauge that can only be filled up by what makes you unique. In other words, what do I do that helps relax and enjoy life? The answer is different for everyone. For some it might be golfing (I tried that and it's not for me YET), exercising, reading, hanging with friends or family what ever it is in your life that you need to make sure you are doing it on a regular basis so that your emotional tank doesn't get depleted.
For me many times I have let the work of ministry RUN my life and I was depleted emotionally. Hey if you and I aren't healthy emotionally, how in the heck can we lead others into emotional health? These days I am building things into my life that fills my emotional tank. It's a lot of fun and I am enjoying life and handling stress better than ever before. I am a NEW MAN! You can be too.
I highly recommend you read Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro. It's one of the best reads on this subject matter. If you are a member of a church but not a pastor, honor your pastor and buy them a copy. It will change your life and theirs IF APPLIED :)
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