There are moments where the surge of schedules, stretch of finances and stress of personal conflict can kill a leader. Sometimes, even as we lead the charge, we are unaware that we are being mortally wounded. Here are my unofficial, unscientific, half tongue-in-cheek check list of signs that you are too stressed and my be in danger of ministry death.
There are moments where the surge of schedules, stretch of finances and stress of personal conflict can kill a leader. Sometimes, even as we lead the charge, we are unaware that we are being mortally wounded. Here are my unofficial, unscientific, half tongue-in-cheek check list of signs that you are too stressed and my be in danger of ministry death.
10. Dandruff Blizzard: If you have flakes coming off your head that could double as skin graphs and/or shut down a small Midwest town’s school system, maybe your scalp is trying to tell you something about your stress level.
9. Diet Bi-polarism: If you down protein shakes and broccoli all day only to gorge on a mound of sour cream laden nachos and mini Snickers at 11:50 p.m. you may be more depressed than you are admitting.
8. Flossing death: If you leave large chunks of gunk in your bi-cupids and just don’t care anymore, maybe you are too depressed to want teeth in your old age (or to even want an old age).
7. Alternate job fantasies: If you look at the mini-mart clerk and think, “Now that‘s the life,” maybe you’re not having as much fun in the ministry as you did at first.
6. Commercial Crying: When you find yourself snotting and bawling at a Hallmark card commercial, you might be a bit more emotionally fragile than you realize.
5. Exploding Spouse: If you have a major marital blowout over, “I do help out around here!” you may be more distracted by your job than you know.
4. Facebook, and Twitter Addiction: If you draw a blank during sermon prep time but are inspired to update your status every 10 minutes, you might be a bit more burnt-out than you are admitting.
3. Irritable Bowl Syndrome: Do I really need to explain this one?
2. Cranky Commenting: If you get on others’ blogs just to stir up fights … get counseling now.
1. Receipt Purgatory: If you write blogs like this instead of organizing you monthly ministry receipts you are—completely normal. A bit stressed, maybe, but normal. Normal for sure.
Others?
