The Topic
SUPPOSE YOU WERE TO COME UPON SOMEONE in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree. “What are you doing?” you ask. “Can’t you see?” comes the impatient reply. “I’m sawing down this tree.” “You look exhausted!” you exclaim. “How long have you been at it?” “Over five hours,” he returns, “and I’m beat! This is hard work.” “Well, why don’t you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen that saw?” you inquire. “I’m sure it would go a lot faster.” “I don’t have time to sharpen the saw,” the man says emphatically. “I’m too busy sawing!”
- Covey, Stephen R. (2009-12-02). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (p. 287).
- Covey, Stephen R. (2009-12-02). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (p. 287).
To myself, as a busy clergy person
The day of work that does not begin with prayer is a day that is lost.
No matter how many visits I make,
No matter how many emails I open and answer,
No matter how much work I get done on my sermon,
If my day does not begin with prayer, it is deficient.
It is a day where the whole objective of being a pastor is missed.
When I forget or are interrupted (as will happen)
Upon remembering, I do not despair.
I say the Lords Prayer and tenderly whisper to our Lord I will try to do better tomorrow,
And on the next day, as with every day, God gives me a new beginning.
- The Rev. David Simmons, ObJN
The day of work that does not begin with prayer is a day that is lost.
No matter how many visits I make,
No matter how many emails I open and answer,
No matter how much work I get done on my sermon,
If my day does not begin with prayer, it is deficient.
It is a day where the whole objective of being a pastor is missed.
When I forget or are interrupted (as will happen)
Upon remembering, I do not despair.
I say the Lords Prayer and tenderly whisper to our Lord I will try to do better tomorrow,
And on the next day, as with every day, God gives me a new beginning.
- The Rev. David Simmons, ObJN
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"An ordained person is expected to be a pastor, preacher, teacher, theologian, administrator, spiritual leader and role model - ever ready to respond to the desires and needs of both the congregation and the surrounding community. It is easy for clergy to get caught up in expectations projected upon them by their parishioners, finding themselves drawn into frantic activity to prove their value to their congregations - and perhaps to themselves. They may busy themselves in work that reflects the imbalanced priorities of the world, forgetting that it is in returning and rest that they are saved, in quietness and in confidence that they find their strength.
A hectic schedule can be a misplaced effort to earn respect and affection, which invariably leads to exhaustion and spiritual aridity. Prayer gets squeezed in between meetings and appointments or dwindles altogether. A desire to serve God morphs into a flurry of activity that serves a hungry ego. The result is burnout. With luck, clergy may be saved from burnout by church members, friends, or family members who understand the demands of ministry and who may have witnessed other clergy implosions in the past. Through a combination of grace and sudden insight, perhaps with outside help, some clergy rescue themselves from the precipice of mind-numbing fatigue, addressing the workaholism that tends to take over their lives." - Keeping in Tune with God by Suzanne Farnham & Timothy Grayson |
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