Confessions of an Eternal Optimist

I've come to accept that this summer could be my first experience with ministry not giving me that Jesus high, that buzz I've felt in the past after giving a sermon or leading worship. I've come to accept that when I go into my Sunday Morning journey-study that I have a 3 for 3 record of leaving with less energy than which I came in with.

To sum up: my eternal optimism, my feelings that ministry would always be fulfilling, my ideas that doing the work of the Kingdom would certainly give me the feeling of my hair standing on the back of my arms each time, are decidedly not true. All those times I've read the books about ministry being exhausting after a while are correct.

Who knew?

Come Monday evening, after another less-than-my-mental-image-and-plan Sunday morning, I was quite discouraged. To the point of anger and frustration: I felt cheated. I had made the plan, done what the books told me to do, made fantastic visual aides, timed video clips immaculately. However, none of my students had gone through a drastic transformation. (Yet, I think in secret).

I would imagine that anyone who has spent their career or even a little bit of time in ministry could look me in the eye and give me a gentle 'Duh.' But I'm not the brightest bulb in the tanning bed, so great maxims such as these take me a little longer to believe, I guess.

But Tuesday was a new day. There is a group of pastors, one of whom is Rick, who meet on Tuesday mornings to pray for spiritual, social, and economic revival in our county. I go with and often hear the news around the county, and we pray for a good solid two hours. God did not wait long to un-discourage me: we opened with Galatians 6:9:

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

A number of other encouragements came to me throughout the day: texts and words of affirmation were in abundance at a much needed time. The kicker: Rick has given me an opportunity to preach at the church, both services, on August 3. Probably the most exciting thing that has come out of the last two weeks, really.

And so my eternal optimism is renewed. At least for now.

Prayer Request:

This Friday evening the aforementioned group of pastors are hosting a Public Servant Appreciation Dinner. Members of the city council, county commissioners, the public safety directors, city and county education board members, and other key government officials will be present to view a 15-minute video on how a town in California came back after men and women sought God's face for revival in their community. We're hoping for this to be a great event together. Please pray that details from technology to food service to our conversations would be blessed by God!