Is it okay to ask for help?
Most people experience stress or burnout at some point in their life. It is inevitable; whether it be a job assignment that is stressing you out, or maybe your days are jam-packed with appointments or social engagements. You will either power through it or stop and take a step back; but at what cost? What happens when what’s on the line affects other people’s well-being and quality of life? What happens when the work necessary for your ministry to thrive does not fall in your strengths? Ministry Leaders are continuously challenged in areas that are not their strength or passion, forced to endure and power through, causing fatigue or burnout over time.
When I experience burnout during a difficult period, I am overwhelmed with a sense of stress and tension throughout my body, in addition to an all-consuming tiredness. I push through, with the hope that I will succeed in the end, only to have the consequences be months of recovery. According to Laura Howe from Hope Made Strong, amid burnout, Ministry Leaders often experience a sense of hopelessness, feeling like nothing will change the current circumstance they are in, or helplessness, feeling completely powerless in changing the situation. I know we all recognize that this is unhealthy and that stress needs to be addressed before it results in burnout. So how do we change the outcome?
As mentioned by Jaye Johnson in Getting Beyond Ministry Burnout and Tiredness, a common reason why many Ministry Leaders feel fatigued is because they are being forced to work in areas of ministry that are outside of their ministry strengths and giftedness. It's important to self-reflect and take an inventory of where you thrive and where you struggle, so you can identify ways to reduce your stress. You may be a great shepherding pastor or missionary, successfully guiding people to trust in God through challenging times, but you find keeping up with the ever-changing world of technology is not your thing or the business administration side of ministry is not in your wheelhouse.
In all situations of life, but particularly in ministry, without the power of Christ, we can do nothing of lasting value (John 15:5). Sometimes we try to be too independent, taking on the world alone, but what we really need is to be dependent on God in every moment, never resting on our own strength or pride.
Recently, I had the privilege of listening to a story from a colleague about her experience and challenges in ministry; she relayed it like this:
I learned to lean heavily on God when I took on the opportunity to develop a Women’s Ministry at our church, while still working as our church’s Administrator. Administration was where my experience lay, and starting up our women’s ministry program was going to stretch me. I did not feel adequate for the role of leading the women of our church, but God had opened the door and I had stepped through. I knew the only way the ministry would be what God wanted was to focus on prayer. My first step was to gather a team who would pray with me weekly. We discerned God calling us to include a significant outreach component for the Women’s Ministry. As a result, I found myself in constant prayer; in my weakness, I was very reliant on God. To my relief, I found that God was very good at providing the people with the gifts and skills needed to launch this new Women’s Ministry. I knew I was not adequate, but God is, and while I was certainly stretched to do things that were uncomfortable for me, I recognized a need for my dependence on God and his provision of key members of the body of Christ to help with the ministry work. Working in areas where I didn’t feel gifted also helped me be thankful to God when he provided a person whose giftings were strong where I was weak. While I am no longer in that role, I look fondly at that time when I stepped out in faith and God provided.
With God’s guidance, there are many ways that a Ministry Leader can overcome all their challenges. For some, all a Ministry Leader may need is trust that God will help them persevere through a difficult time. For others, they may recognize they need an extra set of hands to help with the areas of ministry that are not in their wheelhouse. Sometimes, we need to be able to ask God for help and be open to the help he sends. It's okay to ask for help when we need it!
I have the privilege of working at an incredible organization that comes alongside Ministry Leaders to help relieve some of the stress caused by charity administration, accounting, and bookkeeping. Maybe you are a Ministry Leader who doesn’t possess strong administrative skills. This is where The Great Commission Foundation (GCF) can step in! People who join GCF are empowered to focus on the work God has called them to, while GCF’s staff provide the backend administration and charity oversight required. This includes donor services and receipts, bookkeeping, accounting, charity administration and compliance expertise. We believe we can be stronger together. We welcome a conversation with any Christian charity or ministry interested in learning more about collaborating with us and would love to relieve some of the administrative burden causing you stress and fatigue!
