Loneliness and discouragement are often connected in a vicious circle. One leads to the other. They feed off each other. When compounded together, church leaders often feel trapped and hopeless.
Far too few admit it out loud, but it’s a common problem in ministry.
The church is supposed to be a place of belonging and hope, but many church leaders experience the opposite—isolation and discouragement.
What causes this problem? Sometimes people are just mean and hurtful. But let’s dig deeper.
Vulnerability is risky where connection is most prevalent. The digital era has created worldwide connections, but sharing your struggles online is not the best way to find healing. When you are open to the world, it also opens the potential for misunderstanding, or worse, bullying.
The people you lead—by design—are not supposed to solve your problems. As a church leader, you are tasked with equipping others to solve their problems. While followers influence leaders through accountability and encouragement, the follower does not exist to solve the problems of the leader.
You are surrounded by people, but few can relate to the most difficult aspects of ministry. A healthy church will be a place full of meaningful relationships. On a personal level, pastors should have friends in the church. But rare is the church member friend who understands the nuanced dynamics of leading a congregation.
You can break out of the loneliness and discouragement cycle. Consider these four solutions.
Enjoy friendship with those inside the church without placing unreasonable expectations on them. Unmet expectations are one of the most common ways relationships break down. Release your church friends from the burden of helping solve your leadership problems. Simply enjoy them for their friendship.
Navigate the waves of discouragement with focused prayer. Every church leader will face a storm. Before you feel overwhelmed, double or triple your usual prayer time. We often want people to reassure us, but the best comfort comes from the Holy Spirit. You should not ask others for support without first praying to God.
Create a standing meeting with a mentor or coach in ministry. When you are in a regular rhythm of seeking advice, the pain of an inevitable crisis does not feel as acute. A sense of relief comes with knowing you have an upcoming session with a coach in which to ask questions and seek guidance.
Seek encouragement and advice from a variety of peers. The key here is “variety.” There is great value in the collective perspective of several other leaders. One of our most popular resources is Church Answers Central, a safe and private digital forum of over 1,800 church leaders.
The cliché is true. It’s lonely at the top. Ministry leadership often isolates and discourages pastors. If you’re there, we understand. But you don’t have to stay there. You can break out of the cycle.
This article originally appeared on ChurchAnswers.com and is reposted here by permission.