Watch the images that play out in the Baltimore riots and you are bound to feel some deep emotions. You may be angry, sympathetic, fearful or even astonished. One thing you won’t feel is ambivalent because the photos and videos play at your emotions in one way or another.
Ministry is a lot like that. Most people get involved in ministry because they have feelings about a cause or people in specific situations. Perhaps you were once abused by a spouse and have sympathy for those who are now going through that situation. Maybe you had a rough childhood and you feel a kinship with kids who are in trouble or have been neglected.
Dealing with your own emotions and those of others while serving people in a ministry is not an easy task. Emotions fuel your passion for ministry, but they can also become hazards if not kept in check.
Utilizing Your Emotions for Good
If your emotions make you want to get involved, that is good. Use them to appeal to others to join you in ministry. Show your compassion, your empathy to those you are ministering to. People can easily identify someone who is not sincere or those who don’t care about the ones they are serving.
Having that compassion and love for those who are in need will help you minister more effectively to them. When they see that you care, they are more likely to trust you and open up to you.
Avoid Being Overly-Emotional
At the same time, your emotions can cripple you in ministry if not handled correctly. It is too easy to let emotions cloud your judgment when you need to be objective. For instance, you have to follow the rules within the ministry for which you are working. It can be tempting to bend the rules for just one person, but that soon leads to another person and another until you suffer the consequences. Even if you have the right motives, sometimes you have to say “no” when your emotions want you to say “yes.”
The key to dealing with your own emotions is to meld your heart and your head together and be led by God. He is the One Who created you and your emotions and He will not allow them to lead you astray if you listen to Him.
Dealing with the Emotions of Others
It is equally difficult to deal with the emotions of those you are serving. Imagine the people involved in ministry in Baltimore right now. They are hearing from both sides of the story and have their own opinions about what is taking place. And yet, they are called to minister to those who need them. That often includes dealing with people who you don’t agree with, working with those who have emotions that are different from what you are feeling.
No matter what your opinions are or how you believe, part of ministry is looking past the emotions and attitudes of others and seeing the person that Jesus loves. Just as Jesus calmed the storm for His disciples, you may be called to be the calm amidst the chaos. To be effective in that role, you have to keep your emotions in check and use them only to move forward in your ministry and to show the love of Christ.
