When Passion for Ministry Flickers

What happens when the joy you once felt in ministry starts to fade? Join me, Todd Rhoades, on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast as we tackle the often unspoken struggle faced by many pastors and ministry leaders—losing passion for your calling. After years of my own ups and downs, I've gathered insights and practical advice to help you navigate this challenging period. This episode emphasizes that losing passion is not a sign of failure but rather a chance for growth and renewal. 

We'll explore how to acknowledge your struggle, identify the root causes, and seek support from trusted confidants. Discover how to reevaluate your priorities, reconnect with your initial calling, and understand the importance of self-care. Whether you're overwhelmed by burnout or simply feeling disillusioned, this episode offers encouragement and actionable steps to help you find your way back to a joyful and enthusiastic ministry. Join us for a candid and heartfelt discussion aimed at reigniting your passion for service.

Have questions or comments? Send to podcast@chemistrystaffing.com

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Today we're talking about a struggle that many pastors and ministry leaders face at some point in their journey. Maybe it's you. Have you lost your passion for ministry? Hi there, my name is Todd Rhodes and I am your host for the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. I'm also one of the co-founders over at chemistrystaffingcom.

Speaker 1: 0:28

Now, I know this can be kind of a sensitive topic, and we're called to serve God with joy and enthusiasm, but the reality is that ministry, oh my goodness, it can be draining and demanding and sometimes just can I say it downright discouraging. The passion that once fueled our calling can, over time, or sometimes almost instantly, flicker and fade and sometimes leaves us feeling empty and disillusioned and wondering if we're in the right place. What are we doing with our lives? Have you ever been there, man? I have. But here's the good news Losing your passion doesn't mean the ministry is over. It's not a sign of failure. It's not a sign of a lack of faith. In fact, if you play your cards, it can be a catalyst for growth and renewal and even a deeper understanding of your calling. So what do you do when your passion for ministry starts to flicker? Here's a few steps that you can take and if you're going through this period right now, maybe some of these things will help you.

Speaker 1: 1:37

Number one just acknowledge where you are. Acknowledge the struggle. Don't try to ignore it, don't try to suppress it. You're not the first person. It might feel like you're totally isolated and alone, but be honest with yourself. You're not the only person that's going through it. And who's not surprised that you're going through something? God knows, nothing surprises him. And it's okay to admit to yourself and to God that you're just struggling right now. And then, after you've acknowledged where you are in your struggle, try to identify the root cause. What happened? Was it one event? Is it just man? You're tired, you're burned out. Maybe it's conflict. Maybe you're just disillusioned. Things aren't going the way you thought they should or would. Maybe it's something else. Try and identify and understand really what that root cause is. That can be really crucial for getting you out of this rut and helping you find the right solution. Then I would say seek support. And this is hard, okay, this is really hard, but don't try to go through this alone.

Speaker 1: 2:43

So many pastors that I talk to are just it's a lonely job and you don't know who to trust. You don't want to go to somebody in your church. You don't want to go to somebody in your tribe or your denomination, because everybody's connected and it's hard to know who to trust. Maybe it's a college roommate, maybe it's a friend from a previous ministry that doesn't have a dog in your current fight. But try and find a trusted friend, a mentor. Maybe go to a counselor if you need to, or a therapist, anybody that can offer that listening ear and some wise counsel and some prayerful support so that you don't have to do this on your own. And one of the things as you start to talk, as you acknowledge a problem, you identify that root cause, you start to talk and seek some support.

Speaker 1: 3:32

It might cause you just to reevaluate your priorities. Are you trying to do too much? Are you neglecting your own needs and pursuit of ministry? Maybe take a step back and reassess your priorities and remember you just can't pour out of an empty cup, so maybe sometimes you just need to do a little less for a little bit and do the less better with whatever strength that you have. And something I always find helpful during these times too is just reconnecting with your calling.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Think back Like why are you doing what you're doing? Why did you give your life to this? What drew you to ministry in the first place? You know what are the core values and passions that over the years have really driven your service, have really driven your service. Take time to reflect on your calling and go back to that calling and reconnect with the joy of serving God that you once had. And then other times maybe you're where you are because there's change coming and you just hate change. Sometimes a change of scenery or a shift in responsibilities can reignite your passion. So maybe you know if it's really bad or you need to do it because you haven't done it for a while. Maybe consider taking a sabbatical or asking for a sabbatical. Maybe just switch it up a little bit, maybe explore a new ministry opportunity or just simply try something new in your current role. Sometimes change will help reignite that passion.

Speaker 1: 5:10

And then, finally, make sure that you're taking good care of yourself. Prioritize your physical and emotional and spiritual health. Sometimes you need to get away, maybe for a weekend, just you and God, and really work on your spiritual life. Make sure you get enough sleep, make sure you're eating well. This all sounds you weekend, just you and God, and really work on your spiritual life, make sure you get enough sleep, make sure you're eating well. This all sounds, you know, just really rudimentary, but, man, it's so important. Are you exercising regularly? Are you taking time for rest and relaxation? Are you just constantly going all the time?

Speaker 1: 5:40

Remember losing your passion for a period of time doesn't mean that you failed. It's simply a time that you need to pause and reflect and make some adjustments. Now, if you're in a pattern like this, I will say this the longer you're in a pattern like this, the harder it's going to be to get out of it. So, acknowledge your struggle, seek support, take some intentional steps to care for yourself, reconnect with your calling and you can reignite kind of the flame and rediscover the joy of ministry. I'm always amazed at how God can work when I allow him to work in my life. I'm amazed at the speed at which sometimes the healing can occur. But it has to start with some of these things acknowledging and talking it out and re-evaluating and those kinds of things.

Speaker 1: 6:36

So here's your bottom line for today Passion for ministry. Man, it's a precious gift, but it's not always a constant flame. It can flicker and it can fade, but when it flickers and fades, it can also be rekindled, and when it flickers and fades, you just need to try and step up and be proactive and address kind of the underlying issues and prioritize your well-being so that you can reignite your passion and continue to serve God as always. Man, if you're struggling with burnout or dissolution or maybe a loss of passion, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'd love to have a short video call or a phone call with you, if that would be helpful. You can reach out to me anytime.

Speaker 1: 7:22

Podcast at chemistrystaffingcom. I'm always here to offer support, encouragement, ongoing coaching, if that's something that you need. Any kind of resources can help you thrive in your ministry. I hope this has been helpful. Man, hang in there, really ignite that flame if you need to, and hopefully some of these steps will help you to be able to do that. Thanks so much for listening today. Hope you'll join us again right here tomorrow. I'm Todd Rhodes and this is the Healthy Church Staff Podcast.