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Are You Saying Your Prayers?
December 16, 2009 - Margaret Marcuson
What sustains you? Leadership can be difficult, draining and exhausting. It's simply not
possible to keep going forever without resources. For church leaders, that includes having a
spiritual life.
In his book Rest in the Storm, Kirk Byron Jones talks about the gospel story where Jesus
fell asleep in a boat: "Jesus gave up, at least for the moment, being responsible for what
did and did not happen. (Give this up, and your ministry will be transformed for the better
almost overnight.)"
One of the temptations of leadership is to think it all depends on us. If we can't ever let
go, we will find ourselves worn out, burned out, and inclined to make bad decisions simply
because we've lost perspective. Stepping away long enough for prayer, meditation or
reflection can help us let go. It can also help us get clarity on the places we really do
need to engage.
Another temptation of leadership is to identify "self" with "role." Developing ourselves
spiritually helps us focus more on who we are and less on what we do. I've found the best
way to do this is to practice meditative prayer. I take a few minutes daily to do nothing
but breathe, letting go of the many "urgent" thoughts which pass through my mind. Over time,
I've found myself better able to assess the urgency of the matters which come my way
throughout the rest of the day. I can slow down my reaction time in my relationships with
others, both personally and professionally. This helps me respond more thoughtfully to
others.
Meditation is not the only way to develop a spiritual life. Other powerful spiritual
practices can help support our leadership: regularly seeing a spiritual director or friend,
spiritual reading (that has nothing to do with preparing for teaching or preaching), or
praying for those in our work whom we find difficult.
You may be asking, "How can I possibly make the time for this?" If your schedule is that
packed, I'd say anything is better than nothing. One minute of meditative prayer. One verse
of the Bible or one paragraph of a spiritual book (you probably already have one somewhere).
And start with something you like to do. This week I met a knitter who says she finds it a
meditative practice. Runners often have the same experience. Can you bring your attention to
what you already do in a different way?
Don't make yourself say your prayers. Give yourself the gift of saying your prayers.
Rev. Margaret J. Marcuson works with church leaders who want to learn an easier, more effective way to lead. The author of Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry (Seabury, 2009), she can be reached at Margaret@margaretmarcuson.com.
possible to keep going forever without resources. For church leaders, that includes having a
spiritual life.
In his book Rest in the Storm, Kirk Byron Jones talks about the gospel story where Jesus
fell asleep in a boat: "Jesus gave up, at least for the moment, being responsible for what
did and did not happen. (Give this up, and your ministry will be transformed for the better
almost overnight.)"
One of the temptations of leadership is to think it all depends on us. If we can't ever let
go, we will find ourselves worn out, burned out, and inclined to make bad decisions simply
because we've lost perspective. Stepping away long enough for prayer, meditation or
reflection can help us let go. It can also help us get clarity on the places we really do
need to engage.
Another temptation of leadership is to identify "self" with "role." Developing ourselves
spiritually helps us focus more on who we are and less on what we do. I've found the best
way to do this is to practice meditative prayer. I take a few minutes daily to do nothing
but breathe, letting go of the many "urgent" thoughts which pass through my mind. Over time,
I've found myself better able to assess the urgency of the matters which come my way
throughout the rest of the day. I can slow down my reaction time in my relationships with
others, both personally and professionally. This helps me respond more thoughtfully to
others.
Meditation is not the only way to develop a spiritual life. Other powerful spiritual
practices can help support our leadership: regularly seeing a spiritual director or friend,
spiritual reading (that has nothing to do with preparing for teaching or preaching), or
praying for those in our work whom we find difficult.
You may be asking, "How can I possibly make the time for this?" If your schedule is that
packed, I'd say anything is better than nothing. One minute of meditative prayer. One verse
of the Bible or one paragraph of a spiritual book (you probably already have one somewhere).
And start with something you like to do. This week I met a knitter who says she finds it a
meditative practice. Runners often have the same experience. Can you bring your attention to
what you already do in a different way?
Don't make yourself say your prayers. Give yourself the gift of saying your prayers.
Rev. Margaret J. Marcuson works with church leaders who want to learn an easier, more effective way to lead. The author of Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry (Seabury, 2009), she can be reached at Margaret@margaretmarcuson.com.
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Margaret Marcuson
Rev. Margaret Marcuson works with churches that want to create a ministry that lasts and clergy who want more impact on the people they serve best. She is the author of Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry (Seabury, 2009). She served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Gardner, Massachusetts for thirteen years.
