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Feeling Attacked
Christopher Wesley
Mar 24, 2011
I’m an oversensitive, prideful and difficult individual. I don’t like to be disturbed, I have routine and I have order. When that gets disruptive my heart breaks, welcome to my world of youth ministry. Whether it’s a teen who falls short of our expectations, a parent who challenges our willingness to go the extra mile or a pastor who loads one thing after another on our plate, it feels as if we are constantly under attack.
I don’t know about you but during Lent I feel as if Satan is really beefing up the attack, because there are days when I just want to crawl up on the couch and catch up on reruns of the Golden Girls (don’t judge me). But alas, we must march forward and face the battle, but how? How do we as youth workers fight through the attacks we feel seasonally or even daily?
- Lean Into It – Worst thing we could do is surrender and hide because not only will it not go away, but escalate to something bigger. As youth ministers the first thing we can do with a difficult situation is embrace it.
- Recruit Forces – Never take a fight on alone. Whether it’s insight, direction, faith or hope that you need, never face it alone, you’ll be squashed. Sometimes we need someone to pray with us, cry with and console us. When we can grab accountability we can ensure the guidance we need to take the right steps into battle./
- Press Pause – Again, don’t hide, but take moments to be vulnerable. Whether that’s with someone you trust or with God, allow yourself to sit in the moment to gain perspective.
- Know It’ll Always Be Ok – Now, I’m not saying everything will be hunky dory but remember God is in control. While the outcome might not be what you expect, it will be a part of His plan. We just need to remember that His plan always ends with Him winning.
My heart breaks for all the youth workers who are struggling. All I want to say is that you are not alone, and that there are men and women praying for you. When life spins out of control whether major or minor just remember God is revealing His plan for you.
How do you handle the feelings of being attacked?