Why Am I So Tired?

The following poem is from a book entitled, Why Minister to Ministers? by Barbara Gilbert of the Alban Institute (page 3).

If you are a pastor, are you feeling overwhelmed by all the expectations and demands of ministry? Do you need to take some tangible steps toward personal health and wholeness?

If you are a church member who cares about your pastor, are you doing what you can do to make sure that your pastor is receiving all the help and support necessary for him or her to do the job well?

I am appalled at what is required of me.
I am supposed to move from sick-bed
to administrative meeting
to planning
to supervising
to counseling,
to praying,
to trouble-shooting,
to budgeting,
to audio systems,
to meditation,
to worship preparation,
to newsletter,
to staff problems,
to missions projects,
to conflict management,
to community leadership,
to study,
to funerals,
to weddings,
to preaching,
I am supposed to be “in charge”
but not too in charge,
administrative executive,
sensitive pastor,
skillful counselor,
dynamic public speaker,
spiritual guide,
politically savvy,
intellectually sophisticated.
And I am expected to be superior,
or at least first rate in all of them.
I am not supposed to be
depressed,
discouraged,
cynical,
angry,
hurt.
I am supposed to be
up-beat,
positive,
strong,
willing,
available.
Right now, I’m not filling any of those expectations very well.
I think that’s why I’m tired.

If what you just read strikes a chord with you, you may want to read another article we have on our web-site entitled, Statistics and Trends Concerning Pastors.

You may also want to order our CD entitled, “Endurance in the Ministry How to Avoid Burnout.”