I recently spoke with a colleague who took a special behind-the-scenes tour of Disney World. As you can imagine, the tour is quite different from the regular Disney experience. Instead of the frills and fa?ade of the park, you see the machinery that makes it all happen – the ropes and pulleys, the gears and guts. You might even glimpse a makeup-less Mickey Mouse taking a smoke break. Quite different from the magic that leaves millions of children awe-struck.
But before drawing back the curtain to begin the tour, the guide paused to deliver a warning to the group: “After you see behind this curtain, the magic will be gone.”
When I heard my friend’s story, I saw a ministry parallel. Being in ministry is a little like peeking behind the curtain. Most Christians see the finished product; those in ministry see how it was created. And peering behind the curtain has a way of erasing the magic and sapping our spiritual strength.
But why?
Well, first of all, ministry gives you an up-close view of people that others place on a pedestal. At a previous job in Christian publishing, I was shocked to encounter the hidden sins and swollen egos of some prominent ministry leaders. We had one author who demanded to be picked up from the airport in a Mercedes. For others, we literally had to roll out the red carpet. I learned of ministers who were hiding affairs and lying about past marriages – all the while publicly exhorting purity and making millions in the process. That was disillusioning. Those are extreme examples, but it can be just as taxing to deal with the everyday flaws and foibles of those with whom we labor.
Then there’s the day-to-day grind of ministry. It’s a cruel paradox, but as we work to spur spiritual growth in others, we often end up dry and uninspired. It’s a phenomenon some cooks have described: after spending an entire day cooking, they’re not hungry anymore. There’s something about seeing the process that turns you off from the final creation.
So what should we do? How can we fend off disillusionment? How can we keep ourselves refreshed?
First, it’s important that we keep our eyes on God and not his servants. People are fallible. They inevitably let us down. Those who place their hope in any person – no matter how wonderful – are in for disappointment.
Second, I think it’s vital to get enough time away from your ministry?and not just to go do ministry somewhere else. We need to relax. Take time out. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is nothing.
Most importantly, those of us in ministry need to seek direct experiences with God. I’m talking about experiences that aren’t mediated by anyone else. Church services are great. Prayer meetings are wonderful. But sometimes when we’re burned out on ministry and sick to death of people, we need to retreat and seek the face of God. That’s essential for all Christians, but especially for those in ministry. And yet often we’re the last people to do it.
What about you? Do the feelings I describe ring true in your own life of ministry? What do you do to nurture your spiritual life?
