Finally let us look at our spiritual health. It is easy to let the demands of the practice of ministry to chip away at our own spiritual health. It is important to become aware of that before it becomes a crisis in our journey. It doesn’t take long to do a spot-check of our spiritual temperature. Like smoke detectors, it is a good idea to choose a specific date on your calendar at which you will stop and reflect on what is happening to you spiritually. Perhaps you could choose your birthday as the time when you would take an hour or so to reflect.
Begin by noting how you think you have changed spiritually over the course of your adulthood. Has your prayer life changed? Does your reading of Scripture feed you more or less? If you were to describe your relationship with God when you first began ministry and now, how has it changed? Do you feel that you are more cynical or more hopeful? As you reflect on the past year of ministry, how would you measure your level of anger and your level of satisfaction.
It is vital for your own health that you be extremely honest in these reflections. No matter where you find yourself, you retain the freedom to choose your response to this status. There are clearly things you can do yourself. You can also engage a spiritual director, have an in depth conversation with a mentor, etc. You might even find a few days at a monastery to be beneficial. Several seminaries are offering continuing education experiences in spiritual development.
The key is your becoming aware of where you are and what you would like to do in response.
