{"id":32156,"date":"2022-09-10T15:58:36","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-ways-to-avoid-compassion-fatigue\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:58:36","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:58:36","slug":"3-ways-to-avoid-compassion-fatigue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-ways-to-avoid-compassion-fatigue\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways to Avoid Compassion Fatigue"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Mark Dance<\/em><\/p>\n

Our love for God fuels genuine compassion for others, but sometimes our fuel runs out. When compassion fatigue sets in on pastors, you can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices.<\/p>\n

While tough seasons of ministry are inevitable, do they really have to be open-ended? If you\u2019re in a ministry sprint that never ends, you need to ask yourself whether you\u2019re actually sprinting or merely surviving<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Pastors who love and lead on empty may be tempted to think it\u2019s a normal part of their call to ministry. I can assure you compassion fatigue is neither normal nor admirable.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found three alternative routes that can help you avoid compassion fatigue altogether.<\/p>\n

1. Say no more than you say yes.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Did you just flinch when you read that?<\/p>\n

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While pastors are servants who aren\u2019t too good to do anything, we should also be equippers who aren\u2019t too stupid to do everything.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve heard many preachers implore people to put their \u201cyes\u201d on the table. I am outright begging<\/em> you also to put your \u201cno\u201d on the table.<\/p>\n

We pastors may have trouble saying no to people because we like to be liked and enjoy serving the Lord. However, if you make every issue your issue, you\u2019ll end up embracing everyone else\u2019s emergencies as your own.<\/p>\n

People pleasers dig big holes by over-promising and under-delivering.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re doing most of the ministry in your church, you\u2019re heading down the predictable path of compassion fatigue. Giving ministry away affirms the giftedness of the body of Christ while simultaneously stewarding our gifts better.<\/p>\n

2. Quit blowing off boundaries.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Healthy churches are led by healthy pastors who\u2019ve learned how to pastor at a healthy pace. Make sure your calendar reflects your convictions, then communicate your work-life flow to your leaders and members.<\/p>\n

Doing so provides a great discipleship opportunity to demonstrate God\u2019s perfect plan for the rhythm Americans are trying so hard to achieve.<\/p>\n

Pastors recharge their souls by connecting daily with their Savior at a time and place that offers the least interruptions. When history\u2019s first pastors neglected the disciplines of prayer and the ministry of the Word, they stopped growing, as did their church (Acts 6).<\/p>\n

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We also recharge with our families when we protect our time with them. The simple way to connect with our family each day is to intentionally and literally disconnect from our ministry.<\/p>\n

Compassion fatigue sets in when we set clear boundaries aside.<\/p>\n

3. Make margin instead of waiting for it.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When pastors tell me how overwhelmed they are, it doesn\u2019t take long to diagnose the source of their dilemma. They stopped stopping.<\/em><\/p>\n

God modeled and commanded Sabbath rest for us, which literally means \u201cto stop.\u201d We need to create margin every single day so that we can sleep well. We need to create margins every week so we can recharge well.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t brag about working hard, but also don\u2019t apologize for resting hard. Exactly how and when you stop is up to you. While we all believe in the idea of Sabbath, the practice often eludes us, so we must be intentional about it.<\/p>\n

The cold, hard truth is nobody in your church will make you stop. There\u2019ll never be a long line of people wanting to police their pastor about his church-aholic tendencies, so choose carefully who speaks into your life the most.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s your choice whether to steward your time or allow it to be stolen. No pastor sets out to be a superhero, but if the cape fits…take it off anyway.<\/p>\n

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Mark Dance<\/h2>\n

@markdance<\/strong><\/p>\n

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After serving as a pastor for 28 years, Mark is now the director of pastoral wellness for Guidestone Financial Resources. He frequently speaks at churches, conferences, and retreats\u2014often with his wife Janet. Read more from him at\u00a0MarkDance.net.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n