Episode 4: She Leads//The Unseen Work: Navigating the Pressure to Perform in Ministry

We’ll be tackling the silent struggle of ministry burnout, the pressure to produce, and how we can stay connected to God’s purpose rather than striving for human validation. Let’s begin by grounding ourselves in scripture—because God’s Word holds the answers to our struggles." https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/zion-s-voice-kingdom-conversations--884396/support

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to she Leads on the Filter podcasts, where
we dive into real world conversations to equip empower women
who are walking boldly in their God given calling. Today's
topic hits close to home for so many of us.
We are an episode four and our discussion today is
the unseen work. We're navigating the pressure to perform in ministry.

(00:23):
That's right. If you ever felt like you're constantly going giving,
serving and pouring out, but inside you're running on empty, well,
this episode is for you. We will be tackling the
silent struggle of ministry, burnout, for pressure to produce, and
how we can stay connected to God's purpose rather than

(00:47):
striving for human validation. Let's begin by grounding ourselves in scripture,
because God's word holds the answer to our struggles.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Let's go Welcome to the Heart of Zion podcast, where
Kingdom conversations expand our growth. Make sure to subscribe and
explore resources at Heartofzion dot org. Now let's dive into
today's episode.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
So what I love about our episodes is how honest
and true and raw we can be. There's no need
to filter or hold back because this is our own platform.
Ministry can sometimes feel like a treadmill. We run and run,
and there's no finish line in sight. So it's either

(01:33):
we're preaching, leading worship, mentoring others, or managing just the
responsibilities of stewarding the kingdom. It's easy to feel like
it's never enough. In Galatians chapter six, First Time, Paul
encourages us, let us not grow weary of doing good

(01:56):
for indue season. We will reap if we do not
give up. Hm hmm. Yeah. What happens when we get weary?
Because we do when the endless to do list and
expectations take more than we have to give. Well, here's

(02:16):
a key truth for sure. Ministry burnout often begins with
misplaced validations. If we're working to police people meet the
external expectations or prove or worth, we're walking on a
dangerous path. Instead, our work should be flowing from a

(02:41):
deep personal connection with God and rooted in his approval,
and not in the applause of others. Let's pause for
a moment, and let's reflect on First Corinthians fifteen fifty eight. Therefore,
my beloved brothers be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the

(03:06):
work of the Lord. Knowing that the Lord your labor,
that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.
Did we catch that last part? In the Lord, our
labor is not in vain. It's not in how many

(03:26):
people show up to service or to any of our events,
or how well received the message was, or how perfect
our programs are. When we serve God, our labor, big
or small, is always valuable to Him. This is where

(03:48):
we have to shift our mindset. Bernald. Doesn't just come
from doing too much. It comes from doing too much
for the wrong reason. I want to say this, Rest
is not laziness. Rest is obedience. Jesus himself modeled this

(04:09):
for us when he withdrew to a quiet place to
pray and recharge. He wasn't running twenty four to seven
ministry operation. He was the value of stepping back to
align with Father. So I guess we should ask ourselves,
am I doing this to be seen by God or

(04:31):
to be seen by others? Approved? The answer should always
be anything but God. So if you are feeling overwhelmed,
then it's time to realign. So let's look at the practical.
How are we going to navigate the pressure to perform

(04:53):
while staying connected to God's purpose. Well, Number one, we
redefine success, Yes, since that success in ministry isn't about numbers,
recognition or applause, It's about that faithfulness. Let's look at
the parable of the talents Matthew twenty five, fourteen and thirty.

(05:14):
The servant wasn't rewarded for how much he had, but
for how faithful he was with what he had he
was given. The second thing is we should be practicing
a Sabbath lifestyle. You know, the Stabbath isn't just a

(05:34):
day of rest, it's a lifestyle. We have to find
time to unplug, step away from the ministry duties, focus
on the worship, reflect on His goodness and his attributes,
to find a place to renew our strengths, renew ourselves
in Him. The third thing is, you know is the

(05:58):
good old boundary is that we don't set clearly enough
and not called to do everything for everyone. Learn to
say no to the opportunities that don't align with God's
purpose for you in the season. Learn to delegate them
to others, Let them, you know, be used by God.
For those things that don't align with us. You'll always

(06:22):
find someone else that can that aligns with four have
a ministry mentor I can't. I can't even I can't,
I can't even fan them. Right now, when I see
and hear about all the people who are in ministry
still today, you would think that by now they would
have had some wisdom to know that they should have

(06:43):
someone in their life. But they don't, and you're alone
in this. How often I look for someone to be
a part of mentoring over me, making sure that what
I'm doing I'm being held accountable for, and I looked
for it with the open heart, But I also look

(07:04):
for the right person. And so to find someone who's
walked this path can help guide you through it. And
sometimes we just need an outside voice to remind us
of God's perspective, but we're too close to the situation
to see it clearly. And five developer always always develop

(07:27):
a prayer habit. Don't just pray for others. Make sure
you pray for yourself. Bring that weariness, your fears, your
doubts before God, because He cares deeply about the state
of our soul. Let's so a quick heart check. Ask
these questions. Do I feel the need to constantly prove

(07:51):
myself to in ministry to people. Am I compare my
work to others other people in ministry? Do I feel
guilt when I rest? If you answered yes, then it's
time for reset because your worth isn't tied to your output.

(08:13):
God isn't measuring your impact by how much you accomplished.
He's looking at your heart and your faithfulness. The Greek
word for reary in Galatians chapter six, verse nine, comes
from the word eat little, which means to become utterly

(08:33):
spiritless or exhausted. The solution isn't to push harder. It's
to rest in the spirit of strength, trusting that God
will bring the harvest in due time. Sisters, if I'm
going to leave you with anything, I'm going to leave

(08:56):
you with this, the unseen word. Ministry is often the
most important work. It's in the quiet moments of prayer,
the unseen acts of service, the sacrifices no one knows
about that God is most glorified. Take the pressure off,

(09:22):
rest in God's approval. Know that your labor is a win.
If today's episode resonated with you, I love to hear
your thoughts, Send me a message or comment on my
social media page, and don't forget to subscribe. So you
don't miss the next episode of She Leads Unfiltered. Thanks

(09:48):
for listening, and remember your unseen work matters to God.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
It