Personal insights on 'Handling the emotional component of being involved in ministry'

* Its a Theological issue - What goes on in my head and heart is largely the key to walking in emotional freedom or stress. I have found that there is a large difference between truth we have heard and truth that resides in the inner sanctum of our lives. As a deeper Theology of Assurance and Inheritance has grounded me in a more profound trust there has been MUCH less room for worry and anxiety, the ugly sisters of leaking emotional tanks.

* Its a success issue - our whole view of 'success' has needed to change. Deep in the heart we need to make the transition from 'God writing our story' to 'us writing His story' and the journey into this is inevitably through trials and delay. Its the best thing that could ever happen to us. When we find our 'success' in God Himself and trust at a deeper level, joy and peace replace Arminian drivenness - a relentless inner unrest that is an emotional slave driver.

* Its a people issue - ministry is about people and building lives, team, reaching the lost and so on. For me knowing how to 'switch off' and relax, and rest in the perpetual 'unfinished business' of lives and church 'in process' has taken time and is again related to a deeper trust. Handling criticism is another big one and living free of people's moods and 'issues' with us at times has meant that we sleep well, fret less and laugh more. Relational disharmony is highly draining and learning greater honesty, confrontation and listening skills has helped to reduce 'passive aggressive' and unsettling escalation of disharmony. We must learn aswell to live well in our own 'shoes' and not live under our own or other people's comparisons of ourselves.

* Its a lifestyle issue - I have found the following important: rest, protecting a day off, having good holidays, having a date night with Ali and building our marriage is VITAL to emotional well-being, good sex life in marriage is most helpful to our emotional state, taking exercise and keeping in shape helps how we feel about ourselves, getting enough sleep, eating well and general health well-being, Having a hobby and enjoying a glass of wine and fun with friends is necessary to avoid constant intensity and being drained. Laughter breaks fear.

* Its a Spirit issue - quite simply the anointing of the Holy Spirit breaks 'yokes of bondage' of our lives. Emotions get damaged in this trench warfare. I have had to work hard (and still do) to maintain a decent prayer life and enter the 'rest' of God. Entering the 'santuary' of God (Psalms 73) also brings proper perspective to us amidst unsettling emotions and helps ground us in the Sovereignty of God that brings peace even amidst temporary 'defeats' and choppy waters.

* Its a friendship issue - I have found this vital. Having friends that we can be real with and who don't judge us for opening our 'under-bellies' has been a key to remaining emotionally stable. Ladies in particular need this but so do men! Laughter and the joy of friendship is deeply therapeutic to one's emotional state, I believe.The opposite of this is just bottling things up inside and leads to harmful repression of emotions that will one day mount up to the point of breakdown unless dealt with.

The tussle for transparency

"Peace, peace, when there is no peace" — Jeremiah 6:14

"MINISTERS ARE FEARFULLY GUILTY if they intentionally build up men in a false peace" Charles Spurgeon.

Read more in his 'Blast of the Trumpet against False Peace'

www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0301.htm

Cards on the table, none of us wants to be labelled as the insensitive fundamentalist screaming down a loudspeaker to some poor defenseless bystander!

When I first arrived in Dublin to establish a Gospel frontier post(and in the process a church) I made the point of telling everyone I was from Co.Derry (we never called it Londonderry!) and that I was not a 'Paisley type' bigot or narrow minded sort! All true, but the point was that we live in a country blighted by religious stereotypes the perceptions of which had left me back-footed trying to explain what I 'was not' rather than what I am and believe. It takes time to establish trust and I hope that has happened...and that I too have grown up to be less 'perceptions' conscious and more God conscious, less of a man pleaser and more of a God pleaser!

Spurgeon's trumpet blast here is an outcry against Christian people, especially leaders, who have believed the Gospel and received Christ as their Saviour but do nothing to challenge the religious stereotypes of people around them....and in doing so leave people with 'false peace'

Religious stereotypes are nothing new. Jesus had to face them from Jewish leaders who refused to listen to his truth claims and rejected Him for who He truly was ('the Saviour' sent by God to reconcile men to God) This is a great tragedy that continues to happen in our day. Rejecting Jesus' truth claims, hiding behind stereotypes and a 'form of godliness' but denying the need for a truly God saved and tranformed life leads to current and eternal separation from God (in a place that Jesus called Hell) - and dare I say it, a wasted life.

I'd say thats a tragedy worth getting brave for, persevering with stereotypes for, and laying our lives down for.

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