Ministry can be difficult work, as evidenced by the high number of church leaders today who are burning out and dropping out.

Many ministers are suffering from the same issues I regularly encounter in my counseling practice, including relational problems, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and addiction. In fact, these are so common I call them the five mental health defaults.

Let’s take a brief look at each of these struggles in turn.

Mental Health Defaults

The first comes from isolation in the face of conflict. During times of stress, people often distance themselves from others as a defense mechanism.

Perhaps you’ve done it. After receiving a phone call from an upset church member, you go silent for 12 hours. You shut out others by going to the garage or working late at the church — anything to retreat from the pain.

There’s nothing wrong with seeking solitude. But when isolation becomes a pattern, it negatively impacts relationships.

The second issue is anxiety when overwhelmed. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.

Uncertainty can be overwhelming, and ministry is fertile soil for worst-case scenarios to grow in hearts and minds. Unaddressed, long-term anxiety can lead to both isolation and depression.

That brings us to the third issue: depression in the face of opposition. Believers are not immune to difficulties or feelings of despair.

The psalmists experienced it. Psalm 38:4 laments, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.” And Psalm 42:5 asks, “Why, my soul, are you downcast?”

Even Jesus was deeply anguished in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:38).

Seasons of sadness are part of life, but persistent lows can turn into depression. If you are suffering from depression or another mental health issue, seek the help of a doctor or counselor.

Fourth is insomnia during seasons of busyness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of adults are not getting the recommended amount of nightly sleep.

We might like to think of insomnia as an opportunity for midnight productivity, but losing sleep is harmful. Sleep deprivation contributes to a multitude of health-related issues, from heart disease to depression.

Finally, there is escape. I use this as an umbrella term to describe various harmful ways of coping with stress or trauma, including substance abuse, unhealthy eating habits, compulsive spending, pornography, gambling and even infidelity.

People often tell me, “I didn’t do that thing because it was better. It was simply an escape from a place I didn’t want to be.”

Ministry has always been fraught with stressful situations and human struggles. In fact, the writer of Hebrews wrote, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (13:17, emphasis added).

In other words, there is a real risk that watching over the souls of others can and will be anything but joyful.

That doesn’t mean we have to be miserable or unhealthy, however. There are things we can do to maintain our joy as we lead.

Biblical Strategies

I often use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in my mental health practice. Among other things, CBT focuses on changing outcomes by changing habits and thought patterns.

As a minister, I also recognize this goal is consistent with Scripture. A victorious, transformed life requires a transformed mind. That’s why the apostle Paul said, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Following are 10 biblical strategies I have found effective for mental and spiritual renewal:

There are things we
can do to maintain
our joy as we lead.

1. Engage in spiritual disciplines. There is no substitute for spending time in God’s presence. Pray, read the Bible, and listen to what the Spirit is saying. Trust that the Lord will use this time for your good and His glory.

2. Acknowledge emotions. Experiencing and expressing emotions is part of reflecting the image of a God who feels anger, joy, sorrow and grief (Deuteronomy 31:17; Psalm 147:11; Isaiah 62:5; John 11:35; Ephesians 4:30).

No one wants to walk through sadness or disappointment, but difficult seasons are inevitable (Ecclesiastes 3:4). Acknowledge negative emotions rather than repressing or ignoring them. But don’t let their ebb and flow become the driving force in your life.

3. Accept limitations. None of us can do everything or be everywhere. God does not ask us to fulfill someone else’s calling or function in another person’s spiritual gifts. Accepting limitations frees us to concentrate on areas where we excel.

4. Redirect anxious thoughts. Assessing threats is a natural survival mechanism. However, disciplining the mind not to dwell on negative hypotheticals is essential to good emotional health. The apostle Paul said, “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Worry can sap your peace and hinder your Kingdom effectiveness. But Isaiah 26:3 says of God, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

We don’t learn to trust because of the presence of peace. Rather, we can live in peace when we learn to trust. Choose trust daily, and God’s peace will follow.

5. Seek God’s approval above people’s. Yes, rejection and betrayal hurt. But living for human approval is a misguided mission.

Instead, walk in step with the Spirit, striving to please God above all others.

6. Find healthy outlets for stress. Practice the sabbath principle by taking time to rest and recoup. Take up a hobby. Ride a bike, start music lessons, work out, hike, paint, read, garden, or join a sports team.

7. Maintain integrity. Duplicity and hypocrisy are not only spiritually and relationally damaging, but they are also emotionally draining. Repent of any wrongdoing, and consistently honor God publicly and privately.

8. Identify unhealthy thought patterns. In counseling, I often ask clients to call out the thoughts behind their feelings. A person might feel angry and want to act on it, for example, but the real challenge is digging down to identify the thought driving emotions and behaviors.

Perhaps you worry about being a failure in the pulpit an hour earlier. That negative feeling leads to unfair treatment of a server or family member during lunch. If you want to change, isolate the thought, call it what it is, and deal with it before it creates bigger problems.

9. Practice mental discipline. That moment immediately following an irrational thought is powerful. This is the time to decide what occupies space in your mind.

Choose to focus on God and His Word (Philippians 4:8). This requires discipline, practice, and daily help from the Holy Spirit.

An undisciplined mind follows the path of least resistance. That path is typically neither helpful nor holy, especially during times of anxiety, exhaustion or discouragement.

10. Embrace imperfections. Aside from God, no one is perfect — and that’s OK. Your spouse isn’t perfect. Your kids aren’t perfect. Your church members aren’t perfect. And neither are you.

A desire for excellence in ministry can become an unhealthy drive for perfection. Unrealistic demands ultimately make you and everyone around you miserable.

Human weakness reminds us of our need for God’s grace (2 Corinthians 12:9). So embrace imperfections by giving and receiving grace and leaning on the One whose way is perfect (Psalm 18:30).

The emotional load in ministry can be heavy at times, but it doesn’t have to break us. God has provided everything we need to walk in freedom and joy.

This article appears in the Summer 2023 issue of Influence magazine.