3 tips if you're feeling discouraged
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Why am I here? Am I really the right person for this job? Why am I so busy, so stressed, so tired? There has to be someone better. I don't want to do this anymore. I'm not good enough. This is definitely not the right place for me.
These are all phrases that I have said to myself over and over again.
You may have found yourself saying these things as well. I want you to know, you are not alone! I have felt this, other leaders have felt this. Jesus felt this!
The night before he was arrested, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He told his disciples his heart was overwhelmed with sorrow and that he needed to pray. His prayer was that, if at all possible, God would take his burden and his mission away from him. He was overwhelmed and tired. Think about it—He knew one of his disciples had sold him out.
His disciples time and time again had missed the point of his calling and the signs right in front of them. Many of the people around him wanted him dead. I can only imagine the thoughts going through his head. Why am I here? Am I really the right person for this job? I don't want to do this anymore.
His next statement is profound. He says, "Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39, NIV). Jesus understood he had a mission, and the mission wasn't his own. Despite the fear, the anxiety, the feeling of burden and dread, he knew God had called him, and he was the best person for the job. Jesus knew his desires would never outweigh the glory of God and His mission.
In my most difficult days, this gives me hope. It gives me hope because Jesus felt broken, he felt alone, he didn't feel good enough, and it's okay for me to feel this way too. However, it gives me hope because it's a reminder that I am exactly where God wants me to be, where he has called me to be.
Here are three tips for getting through these difficult moments and back on mission:
Seek God first. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:33-34).
When the days seem difficult, you don't know what to do or where to go, and you felt overwhelmed, seek God first. It can be as simple as spending five minutes reading the Bible or doing a morning devotional. It can also be praying and letting God know where you are. The Apostle Paul tells us that when we go to God with prayer and thanksgiving, God's peace will guard our hearts and our minds (Philippians 4:7).
Remember your mission. First Corinthians 7:17 instructs us to live the life that God has assigned to each of us, the life that he called us to. Paul was relentless because he remembered the mission for which God had saved him, which was to take the gospel to as many people as possible. This kept him going, it's why he worshiped in prison, it's why he went on three missionary journeys, and why he sent so many letters. When days get tough, remember your calling.
Know that you aren't God, and that's okay. Maybe you're feeling the weight of life right now. Maybe you, like me, don't feel equipped to lead. You aren't alone! Be encouraged and know that even Jesus felt this way. But he understood that God had placed him right where he wanted him in order to fulfill the mission he had been ordained for. Maybe you need to pray that same prayer: "Not my will, God, but yours."
In one of the darkest, scariest, most stressful nights of Jesus' life, he remembered the purpose for which God had sent him. The betrayal, the anger, and the lack of faith of those around him could not hold him back from the peace and the drive that came from the mission that God had put on his heart.
The simple prayer, "Not my will but yours," refocused his heart, his mind, and his intentions. If you need a refocus or reset, simply focus on God, remember the mission, and allow God to lead.
 | Sean Lord is a pastor, husband, and father. He enjoys writing about leadership, theology, and ministry. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and currently pastors at one of the largest churches in the U.S. He spends much of his time mentoring and coaching pastors as well as leaders outside of the church. Learn More » |
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