#failedpastor Part Two - I worked too hard!

Hard work is rewarded. I think most of us believe that sentiment.

I think we do because we know deep down and instinctively that the opposite, laziness, doesn’t achieve much.

Maybe you can quote verses about ants and being a sluggard?

But can you work too hard?

How much work is too much?

Part of the challenge is that you don’t have a literal rev gauge or a fuel gauge to see just how hard you are working and how much fuel you have in your tank.

Tied into this was my belief that if I worked really hard, didn’t give up, sacrificed, served with everything I had, then that would equate with success. If not right now, then it must be guaranteed for me one day…

Not long before it all came crashing down there was a particular meeting.

It was in a monthly Elders meeting. 

One of them announced that they had come to believe that the reason why we hadn’t grown as expected in that season was all because “I wasn’t working hard enough”.

I didn’t react calmly to that one…

Some months later, after 11 years in our Church, we had spent it all.

My tank was empty.

I realised too late I had probably been red lining my internal motor for a long long time.

I would like to think it was work ethic, my never give up, never surrender attitude.

But on reflection I was not as wise as I had hoped.

We crashed out. We lost all we felt we had worked for. 

To my shame I had 42 weeks leave I never took over that service period and lost that as well when the Church had to close.

My lesson.

Work hard, just not too hard.

Lift the foot a little off the accelerator because a little slower and surviving is far better than faster and speeding to a crash.

It was suggested to me some time before all this, that you should plan breaks before planning your year and the busyness.

Guess what, I didn’t. 

Why?

I think I was in too deep. 

Like a problem gambler who thinks it will all work out playing a bit longer.

I also felt like I needed to prove my worth.

Because the church me I owed them.

Unfortunately I discovered there is no medal for burning yourself out. It is not better to burn out than to fade away!

There was no ticker tape parade. Just pain and a lot of post event reflection.

How do you figure this out?

Find some people outside your “work” you can get decent analysis from. 

Listen to your family!

Compare your leadership practice a number of others who do similar things to see where you might sit.

Maybe you have some great suggestions for people like me?

I would love hear them!

Something to think about…