Caught in a jam – but not the strawberry kind

We all feel stuck sometimes.

Once, I was stuck inside a hotel room in Mexico. My friend and I had just arrived at our all-inclusive resort for a week-long vacation. We quickly changed into our bathing suits, happily anticipating two beach chairs and a warm Pacific breeze.

But as we tried to open the door, it wouldn’t budge. Something was wrong with the lock on the old door. We called the concierge desk – five times – and explained our dilemma.

Unfortunately, something was lost in translation between English and Spanish. No, we weren’t trapped outside our hotel room, so relaxing in the lounge would be impossible. We were stuck inside our room with nothing to do but watch a few geckos climb the wall.

Sixty minutes later, a bellboy finally arrived to free us. The rescue involved a small hatchet, quite a bit of noise, and an apology for chopping down the door. I’ve never been so happy to be unstuck.

We get stuck in all kinds of situations.

Sometimes we get stuck in a bad job, or in a dead-end relationship. We might even feel stuck in our own lives. This kind of “stuck” feels dismal and hopeless. We’re desperate for a way out – a change – but the doors and windows of our lives seem jammed. This kind of “stuck” can lead to fatigue and even burnout.

Burnout is characterized by disengagement, blunted emotion, and a loss of hope. Researchers say the number of people who experience burnout is skyrocketing, especially in caregiving professions.

It’s not surprising that pastors and ministry leaders get stuck too.

Everyone suffers

The problem is that, when pastors experience burnout, individuals and their families aren’t the only ones affected. The whole church suffers. When the shepherd is sick, the sheep aren’t always in great condition either.

Pastoral burnout can have long-term negative impact on a congregation, especially when the pastor ends up leaving the church. Search committees spend time, effort, and money to find an interim leader or new pastor. Everyone experiences a sense of uncertainty, stress, and loss. Kingdom work doesn’t happen. Congregations grieve. Sometimes it takes years for a group of believers to recover.

So, it’s in the church’s best interest to ensure that pastors stay healthy.

This issue of the Herald explores the phenomenon of pastoral burnout. It also tells the story of one pastor who recently retired and how he survived many years in ministry. And, it looks at the findings of the recent Canadian conference pastoral trends survey.

If you’re a congregational member, you can use this issue to discover ways to encourage and support your pastor. (What’s one thing you can do this week to help your pastor stay healthy and happy?) If you’re a pastor, you can use this issue to discover resources for maintaining a thriving ministry and personal life. (What’s one change to your schedule that you can make this week?) And, if you’re stressed, you can use this issue to read other people’s stories and discover you’re not alone.

As Phil Callaway reminds us, maybe laughter really is the best medicine. Let’s face it; we all need a bit of help to get unstuck sometimes.