GUARDING YOUR JOY IN THE

MINISTRY
Serving the Lord is a joyful thing to do
Psalm 100:2 “Serve the LORD with gladness!

Romans 14:17
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

"If you have no joy…there's a leak in your Christianity

somewhere." EVANGELIST BILLY SUNDAY
97% of pastors have been betrayed, falsely accused or hurt by their trusted friends.
70% of pastors battle depression.
7,000 churches closes each year.
1,500 pastors quit each month.
10% will retire as pastor. 80% of pastors feel discouraged.
94% of pastors’ families feel the pressure of the ministry.
78% of pastors have no close friends.
90% of pastors report working 55-75 hours per week.

Humble pastors know they make mistakes and do not mind disagreement, correction, accountability,
even criticism. But when it becomes personal, unfair, or from the same people every single week,
many reach their breaking point as their joy disappears.

Life is full of killjoys. Ministry leadership has its own collection of things that rob us of joy. As
leaders, we face unfair criticism, loneliness, and fear that get in the way of the joy God wants for us.

GUARDING OUR JOY

So how can we as pastors guard our joy through difficulties, disappointments, doubts,
and despair? How can we stay on guard against an enemy who is relentless in his
attempts to rob us of joy in ministry?
1. DO NOT LET MINISTRY BECOME YOUR IDENTITY
Our identity is how we see or define ourselves, even how we want others to know us. All of us
seek an identity in something, even pastors.

For Christians, our identity is in Christ. This means our value, our self-worth, who we really are
is rooted in Christ. Knowing Our identity in Christ is what gives us the Joy in serving Him and
doing pastoral works.

So, if we don’t find our joy in Christ, if we don’t find our satisfaction in Christ, but, instead, find it in
other things that may, in the short run, look very satisfying, but at the end, it’s a waste of energy and
time. We are created in the image of God to reflect the glory of God, the worth of God, the beauty of
God to enjoy our new identity through Christ.

As a pastor, we will be tempted to shift your identity from Christ to our ministry. We will pride fully
begin to see ourselves through our successes, our church’s growth, our spiritual gifts, our platforms
on social media, our educational attainments in theology or other field of studies and even many of
us find our identity in “titles” as Reverend, Mater of Arts in … or PHD, Doctor, … “In our hearts,
our accomplishments can determine our perceived value and self-worth. But neither the opinions of
others nor our personal perception defines our identity.” When our ministry becomes our identity,
our joy in ministry will always be in jeopardy.
Note:
With every setback, disappointment, or failure, our value and self-worth will plummet. Criticism of
our preaching and leadership will devastate us because we see it as an attack on who we are. But
when we fight to keep our identity in Christ, we guard our joy because we know that God perfectly
accepts us in Jesus and nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:31–39). When
trials and struggles, failures and disappointments come in our ministry, we can still maintain our joy
because our identity is safe and secure in Christ.

2. DO NOT GO AT IT ALONE
Animals always go on pack when hunting, The same applies to ministry. Pastoring alone can be
a dangerous place to be, especially when it comes to guarding your joy. Failures, frustrations,
and struggles always appear worse when you are experiencing them alone. Criticisms are more
painful when you bear them alone. Stresses feel heavier when you carry them alone. Even if you
are the only pastor on staff at your church, surround yourself with godly men who can watch
your back, encourage you, and help you navigate the burdens of ministry. Sometimes guarding
our joy means not guarding it alone. We need accountability group.
Two are better than one . . . For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his
companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. —
Ecc. 4:9–10

Accountability to other Christians simply reflects our greater accountability to Christ.

3. AVOID COMPARISONS
Theodore Roosevelt famously said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Few things in ministry will
steal our joy quicker than comparing ourselves to other pastors and our churches to other
churches. Comparing ourselves to other pastors steals our joy by causing us to be envious of
those whom we deem to be more successful and prideful about being more successful than
others. It is a vicious, joyless cycle of feeling good or bad depending on who we are comparing
ourselves to. How can we guard ourselves against this cycle that steals our joy? Faithfulness
with contentment and gratitude.

2 Corinthians 10:12
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that
commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise.

As a pastor, your goal is to be faithful to the people God has entrusted into your care using your
God-given gifts in the power of the Spirit. Pursuing faithfulness as a pastor should also lead to
contentment and gratitude. With your eyes off others and on being faithful, you are free to be
content and grateful for who God has fashioned you to be and the ministry He has entrusted into
your care. Guard yourself against the joyless trap of constantly playing the comparison
game.

4. FOCUS ON CHRIST
Your life is controlled by what you focus on!
Finally, the most important way we guard our joy is to remain focused on the person and work
of Jesus Christ, “fix your eyes on JESUS, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of
God” (Hebrews 12:2 ESV). Our joy can remain steadfast in the ups and downs of ministry
because no matter what happens in ministry, our faith is secure in Christ. We also find
encouragement that joy is still possible, even in the toughest ministry trials we might
experience. Jesus endured difficulties throughout his ministry, culminating in him enduring the
shameful cross and wrath of God. Yet, despite difficulties and suffering, Jesus found joy in
obeying the will of the Father and giving His life for others. By remembering that our faith is
secure in Christ and the perfect example of joy in ministry modeled by him, we find the
encouragement needed to fight for our joy, even when we might want to give up.

1. Whatever catches your EYES, captures your Heart.

2. We are conformed to what we admire.

Conformed for CHRIST for the Supremacy of CHRIST!
3. A Jesus Focused Life has a God-sized vision for life and ministry.
God-sized life:
where the impossible becomes possible.
phil.4:4 
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.