Mistake #10: Allowing myself to become too discouraged
By Stovall Weems
Some of you might be a little surprised by this one, but it’s true: If I am not careful, I can get discouraged really easily. In fact, I used to get depressed almost every Sunday night. I would joke with some of my staff and pastor friends and we would call this the “Sunday night abyss”. Because no matter how great services were, or how many people got saved, I would always be discouraged by something that didn’t go right or some part of my message that I felt didn’t connect with the audience. I’d go through seasons of feeling like I was not making the most of my potential and just felt generally frustrated. I’d start feeling like we were failing and not doing enough to reach people. I would get down on myself really bad, which is exactly what the enemy wants. Honestly speaking, there were a few times I felt like giving up, but God has taught me over the years to go to Him when I am feeling down and focus on His love for me.
It is ok to have feelings of discouragement when things aren’t moving forward at the speed you would like them to or when an area of ministry does not reflect the excellence you think it can reflect, but you have to balance that with contentment and thankfulness. Leaders are always going to focus on the few things that need improvement and can easily overlook all the improvement that has been made! God wants us to be thankful and rejoicing at all the great things He has done and will continue to do. If a few setbacks send us into a tailspin we will not be able to lead from a position of strength. Here is my rule-be thankful and grateful for all God is doing, and if you do get upset, just don’t ever let that carry over to the next day. Each day has enough challenges of it’s own and God is good!
I hope that by sharing these top 10 leadership mistakes I made in the first 10 years of our church, you have been strengthened and encouraged. I believe that it is important to share failures and mistakes so that we can all learn and grow from them. I want to let you know that if you are reading this I am praying for you and believe in you as a leader. Thanks so much for allowing me to speak into your life.
Stovall
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12 Responses to “Mistake #10: Allowing myself to become too discouraged”
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Thanks so much for sharing and being so open minded. it is definitely worth the reading and learning. We are all vulnerable. Again Thank you, I have shared these with my brother who’s a Pastor as well and I am sure goes through the samethngs.
Pastor!
Thanks for sharing. I feel this way every Sunday and figured it was just because I am a novice or had a bad attitude or something. I guess it’s just part of being on the front line of the spiritual battle.
Thanks for the post.
P Stizzle…that takes some serious courage to put yourself out there like that…thanks for humbling yourself and letting us see your vulnerabilities. It inspires us as a church to work on our own character weakness…to ultimately make them our strengths. Jesus did not come for those who were righteous…rather for those who who needed to made right…likewise there are areas of our own lives that need to be made right…but how can he if we do not expose our “withered hand”
It wasn’t until today 6/18 that I read #10 and it really made me think about my walk lately. I’ve been working on a very important project for quite sometime now and it has presented itself with many challenges that have caused me to be discouraged as well. So thanks for putting things into perspective and the encouraging words of wisdom that come along with your great leadership! You are Awesome!
Coincendentally I launched my project (Ministry website/blog) today as well.
Hey, Pastor! Thanks so much for sharing! I find myself tempted to fall into “the abyss” sometimes, too. Gotta go to God and get stoked! So true!!
Thanks Stovall These were great tips. honest and transparent. I love learning from you.
P.S. Your goose hunting story at highlands was great. I just shot a giraffe that did a similar “twich” right before giving up the ghost.
Thanks again
Thank you so much for leading by example & being open & honest..that’s a great leadership quality. God is using you in more ways than you can see so be encouraged.
Thank you for this, Pastor Stovall. It is exactly what I needed to hear/read today. I’ve been rather feeling discouraged/anxious for the past few weeks about life in general (work, business, finance, must I go on?), but you’re right, we need to focus on Jesus’ love for us
Christians know that, but it’s always good to be reminded. Thank you 
Thanks man… all good stuff! Thanks for sharing.
Mike Sehon
Thank you for your blog. I sometimes feel the same way, however I never want to feel like I am standing tall and in reality I am sinking. You know how sometimes mistakes lead to sin, for a Christian it is mostly a slow fade. The only hope I have is constant prayer with Christ. He truly saved me in every way possible.
Wow, my favorite blog entry yet. Thank you pastor.
Pastor, you are so right with regard to where we must go when we find ourselves discouraged…to our Heavenly Father. There is no substitute for his gentle correction,abundant love and timely affirmation. Thank you again for taking the time to share these 10 insights.