Double Overtime
October 1, 1998
What a week! Easter is just a few days off. Why did I ever agree to one wedding ceremony, let alone two, on Easter weekend? Now comes the call: a church member has passed away, and I need to do the funeral. Overtime. Extra innings. Another period. Sudden death. Exhausted athletes have done their best for a full game, but the outcome is still at stake. In overtime, they either squander all they've worked for—or build on their investment to claim victory. The difference is in what they do after they've gone all out. Overtime is not limited to sports, nor is it just a public event. It is frequently encountered in ministry, and its demands are often private. It may mean that to respond to that hospital emergency, you have to move sermon preparation from that preferred daytime slot to late night. Or you have not one church family in crisis but multiple families requiring extra care simultaneously. Or the building program takes longer and costs more than anyone projected. Or full-blown conflict breaks out. It feels like double overtime. How can pastors keep giving their best when such an extra-effort time is upon them? Beware of what comes naturally
I've noticed some personal tendencies that show up in overtime. I get angry or anxious more quickly than usual. The temptation to say or do something stupid seems overpowering. My overtime anger has resulted in my giving members of our church board the silent treatment, or I have erupted and spoken in condescending tones. More than once I've had to write an apology the morning after a business meeting explaining my frustrations and asking forgiveness. I've learned I have to be intentional about my mood and words during these times. For many meetings I've even prescribed what I ...
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