This summer kicked my ass. Walking into it, my wife and I had plans for the boys, and those fell through. I had trips organized with little margin, and with the fall quickly approaching, I felt adrift. It’s funny to think that summer is hectic, but really anytime routine changes it’s easy to feel off-balance and lose focus.
While the temptation is to feel helpless and overwhelmed you know you have to keep pushing forward. But, how? How do you find realignment when the world around you keeps going? It all starts with:
When you have that feeling, “What should I be doing?” It’s time to look at the core of why you do what you do. As someone who works for the local church and serves young disciples, you are focused on helping them get to know Christ. While you start there, it’s essential to go a little deeper with more details. That means:
Getting to know your audience and who you are trying to reach. Look at your mission field, your parish boundaries, and get to know what your teens and families are facing on a day to day basis. When you know their world, it’s easier to meet them in it.
Understanding where you want to take them. What’s the ideal outcome for a teen and their family to go through your ministry? It’s essential to understand what habits, information, and experiences you want them to acquire. Put them in places so that you can have a plan.
It might seem like a tangent to what needs to get done, but taking at least an hour will help you settle and refocus.
I believe one of the hardest realities a leader has to embrace is that he or she cannot do everything. One of the reasons we get stressed is because we are not working within our strengths. We try to be all things to all people but lose focus, and that will wear us down. To recognize and live within your limits, you need to learn about the type of leader you are.
There are several different assessments out there that help you discover those limits. If you haven’t gone through that process before I recommend it. Marathon Youth Ministry offers the MCORE®, where you learn about your core motivation and unique calling in life. Through the MCORE® process, we’ll dive into your unique achievement stories which will reveal the pattern of what brings you joy and fulfillment. When we have a clear understanding of how God has designed us, it allows us to make better decisions. The cost is $100, which includes coaching, to set up an appointment HERE.
If you want to go deeper find a coach or a mentor to do a simple SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis with you. Know what’s working and what isn’t. When you know your identity, it’ll help you manage your ministry. You’ll be able to recognize where you need to push and where you need to take a step back. This pause is especially important when you are in the midst of a busy season.
When life gets hectic, it’s easy to lose hope, but that’s when we need to rely on the faith that God has us right where He wants us. In those seasons of discomfort and chaos, the most important thing you need to do is go to prayer. Be intentional with your:
TIME: Block out a significant amount of time to quiet your mind and listen to His voice. For me, it’s attending adoration on Tuesdays. Thirty minutes of just sitting there and letting His presence breathe life into my soul. It’s not always easy to take the time, but afterward, I’m at peace.
ENVIRONMENT: Try to remove all distractions from your quiet time. Turn off your phone, shut down email, and create an environment that helps you focus on sitting with God, even if that means going somewhere other than your church.
God has you right where He needs you. He’s going to show you how to get through the madness, and it will lead to something greater.
Whether you are heading into or emerging from a hectic season of ministry, know that there is a way through it. Center yourself on what matters most, don’t be afraid to slow down and remember it’s a moment in the journey.
If you are for looking help realigning your ministry check out the MYM Realignment Kit.