It’s Monday, a devil day for pastors. After a busy Sunday of putting yourself out there, discouragement can settle in and grumbling growls in your soul. I call them “Maple Mondays” because they can be moments I rue the day I didn’t follow my dad and brothers into the family company (it’s called Maple-Reinders). If you’re not a pastor, Monday is a good day to pray for yours if you have one.
And just to be clear, today is not one of them for me – I’m ok. In fact, although weary from a really long day yesterday where I hardly saw my family, today I’m energized to press deeper into the call of pastoring and leading my church.
Yet whenever I limp towards a spirit of resignation or am lured by a heart-curdling bitterness, I’m braced by the words of Dr. William Lane:
Let the excellence of your work be your protest. Take the energy you’re wasting with complaining and bitterness, and focus it on your craft. If you’re going to protest the state of [things], do so by making your work the best it can be.
And then there’s this encouraging video (below) from Ira Glass, good words directed at storytellers but applicable for anyone pursuing a vision, a hope, a dream – whether you’re a scientist, artist, teacher, actor, entrepreneur, student or pastor.
Perhaps the most vital cultural contribution you can make today is to tell your designer/artist/researcher/carpenter/developer/entrepreneur/pastor friend: “You are not crazy for what you are doing. Your artistic taste, your vision, your creative sense is killer. Keep going.” A simple word of encouragement today could be the necessary catalyst for some of the richest cultural offerings of the future.
Squinch 
Well-said Phil!
you rock Phil! i wanna be like you when i grow up….
I’ve always thought the same thing of you, Karen!
This is helpful in thinking about emerging ministry. There are those days, maybe those weeks when I question my pursuit…..then God shows up to encourage me to move forward. Thanks Phil.
Dom – you’re not crazy! Keep going!
Phil, just catching up with your older blogs. I’ve no idea if today is a Maple Monday for you, but I sure hope not. How could it be, after a day and a message like you delivered yesterday! I felt God’s inspiration and the Spirit among us. But then again, maybe the lows are lower after the higher highs. You’ve done the work, you’ve closed the gap, and I’m praying for God’s continued blessing over Knox Church and her senior pastor. God is using you to make a difference in the lives of many. May Jesus’ love continue to penetrate your heart, even on those devilish Maple Mondays.