For many of us, ministry started with passion. It was an adventure. We felt called, alive, and grateful that God would use us in His work. But somewhere along the way . . .  something changed.

For some leaders, ministry has become maintenance. Vision has turned into management. The work that once felt sacred now feels like a grind. The meetings keep coming. The inbox never empties. And even the things that used to bring life—preaching, leading, seeing people grow—can start to feel like items on a checklist.

What it sounds like when ministry loses its joy and wonder

“I miss the days when I actually loved what I do.”
“It all feels heavy—even the wins.”
“Sometimes I wish I could just pastor a small church again.”

What’s underneath

• Often unprocessed grief—the weight of people who left, dreams that didn’t happen, plans that fell apart.
• A lack of celebration.

Losing joy doesn’t make you a bad leader. It makes you a human one. But it does mean it’s time to pay attention to your soul. When joy fades, it’s a signal that something deeper needs care.

The path forward

1. Reconnect with your calling.
2. Practice gratitude.
3. Make room for delight.
4. Hang out with joyful people.
5. Rediscover a deeper understanding of joy.
   1. An inner disposition unmoved by outward circumstances ~ James 1:2-4
   2. The inner belief that because I belong to Jesus—no matter what happens—He will bring something beautiful, life-giving, and good out of difficulty.
   3. We’re not joyful for the trial itself. We’re joyful for what it will produce in us and in those within our relational sphere.
   4. Real joy doesn’t deny pain—it reframes it.

Closing Thought

The world doesn’t need more burned-out leaders trying to push through. It needs whole, joyful leaders who lead from overflow.