Maintaining a Heart for the Lost During Stressful Seasons

Life for the average individual is stressful enough, but a pastor has the added weight of caring for his church. Without a disciplined strategy for fighting off stress and its bedfellow, depression, it’s easy for him to feel overwhelmed with daily life. Add to that the weight of what Charles Spurgeon called “the irksome task” of reaching out to the lost, and he can easily feel crushed. 

Look at this stressful and depressing pastoral quote from the article, “Pastors Have Congregational and, for Some, Personal Experience with Mental Illness,” published by Lifeway Research in Aug. 2022:

“More pastors today are seeking professional help as evidenced by more having been diagnosed with mental illness. Younger pastors are the most likely to say they have endured mental illness.”

If you battle stress and depression, you may conclude that you suffer from what the world calls “mental illness.” If you do, allow me to share something I frequently tell college students who confide in me that they’re depressed and are having suicidal thoughts. 

I tell them that their depression means the opposite they are both sane and think deeply about life. And life can be extremely depressing. Every day, we hear of tragedy and death. 

So, dear pastor, if stress is causing you to be depressed about life, you are both sane and normal. In Christ, you have the “spirit of a sound mind” (see 2 Timothy 1:7). That means we can get on with the “irksome task” of reaching the lost. 

A heart for the unsaved is driven by the fuel of gratitude. Every day, I go somewhere I don’t want to go to say something I don’t want to say to people who don’t want to hear it. But I go because the God of creation has given us a task for which I can find no excuse to ignore. He told us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature (see Mark 16:15). All the world and every creature doesn’t leave any wiggle room. 

Without the fuel of gratitude to drive you, evangelism will be a heavy burden added to a busy day. And it’s the cross that ignites the fuel. We deserve Hell, but God gave us Heaven. We deserve death, but He gave us everlasting life. That’s all we need to know. That puts fuel in the tank and makes all the difference.

Living Waters exists as a nonprofit to come alongside you and your church. If you’re an average pastor, you may feel a little uncomfortable sharing with your congregation the principles on how to battle the fear of man. This is because you more than likely suffer from the disease you’re trying to cure. That’s why Kirk Cameron and I produced the Basic Training course for the local church (available at LivingWaters.com). Over eight weeks, the videos will do all the teaching for you. 

Here now are seven practical keys to help you keep a heart for the lost during times of stress:

1. Prayer and Meditation: Regularly spend time in prayer and meditation to seek God’s guidance. This helps maintain a heart of compassion for those who need salvation. 
2. Godly Support: Surround yourself with a supportive community, whether fellow pastors, church leaders, or close friends. Sharing burdens and seeking advice can provide emotional strength.
3. Personal Devotion: Prioritize personal devotion and Bible study to stay grounded in your faith. A strong personal relationship with God fuels a passion for sharing His love with the lost.
4. Church Evangelism Training: Equip yourself and your congregation with effective evangelism tools and training. This empowers the entire church community to share the Gospel, lightening the burden on the pastor.
5. Balanced Workload: Evaluate and manage your workload to prevent burnout. Delegate tasks and responsibilities to others, allowing you to focus on your primary calling and maintain a heart for outreach.
6. Rest and Soul-Care: Make sure you prioritize adequate rest. Physical well-being is essential for maintaining a compassionate and caring attitude toward those who need Christ.
7. Focus on Eternity: Keep an eternal perspective. Remembering the urgency of sharing the Gospel encourages a sense of purpose even in stressful times.

©2024 Ray Comfort. Used with permission.