I want to talk today about what it's like to be in full time ministry. What best describes ministry life is flexibility. You cannot be rigid in schedules or you will quickly be overwhelmed and frustrated. Yes, you can have a plan or schedule but you must remember that the plan or schedule can change at any given moment. Why? Because life is unpredictable. While you may plan on going to the church to clean, set up for a dinner, decorate for the season or create a bulletin or prayer list; a phone call may alter that plan and you may now have to make a hospital visit or go and counsel with someone in distress. That's just the way it is. Being available is what ministry life is all about! To be available you MUST be willing to change your plans in order to accommodate others.
It also means that you may have to multi-task many times a day in order to keep up with what needs done on time. Sometimes, this can get overwhelming. Learning to prioritize the necessities over the wantities helps. For instance, I want to put up new sayings on the church sign today but a member had surgery in Oklahoma City yesterday, and we need to go check on her and pray and encourage her. The current saying can stay up another day. Get it?
Of course, it's not just ministry life that needs flexibility. In fact, it should be a part of every one's life. I always say --- Make your plans in pencil and give God the eraser!
In most ministry life, however, there's not really a choice. In life, you must be flexible! If you are considering full time ministry, please remember this. Are you willing to become a flexible being? It really is a must to have peace of mind.
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