This week I shared with other local pastors some of the high and lows of serving the faith community of Journey. As I spoke I asking, "does it help to have a split personality?" They said with smiles on the faces, "YES".
There are days when you go from one exciting meeting, life moment to the deepest most painful moment in a persons life.
It's not that you're faking it, but to best serve people you must be able to meet them where they are at.
"Weep when they weep, rejoice when they rejoice."
For some of us this "split personality" comes almost natural and actually helps is serve and show the love of God.
To other it is a burden, comes off fake and hurts our efforts.
I wonder how others view those of us that can make the jump and go up and down at a turn of a switch.
Is it helpful?
Is it fake?
Is it a natural part of serving?
I must admit that having this personality and making quick adjustments can wipe me out at times. That is, I go to bed... emotionally dead. Yet, I get up, excited to do it all over again the next day. Am I strange, or is that the amazing way God makes us uniquely gifted/ wired for ministry?
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4 comments:
you are not strange Rich. When I go to my job do I go in having a plan, I go in happy, then the children come in. They come in with hurts from home, issues of family, faith and friends. Multiple personalities is a good word because it is describing the feeling one is going through in order to adapt to the situation in front of them. I have to change roles constantly and am I beat at the end of the day yes.
I have found that it is ok to feel that way, dissociative from oneself in order to empathize,but it is NOT ok to constantly feel that way. Disassociation with oneself personality is extremely damaging. God has wired us to adapt and transform to a situation in order to allow preservation and learning but the core personality of a person should not be disassociated for long periods of time. Everyone does it and it is almost unnoticeable but there are times that it interferes from normal feeling and when that happens over long periods of time normal coping methods to different situations become difficult thus a personality is built in order to maintain a connection, survive a trauma or keep up appearances.
To the question of is a multiple personality required in order to serve, I say NO. I do however believe that people are led to hold the view that you must change in order to satisfy and people please. If it is a true feeling then show it if it is not do try, because it does come off callous and revealing.
How do I know this? Well experience has taught me enough about being fake.
I am thinking and trying to understand my own answer and I think I may have misunderstood so please understand I am not judging, just concerned. Have a good one!
James.... you're not coming off judging. I'm simply tryig to express the ups and downs of serving people every day at where thet are at. It's a mixed bags of emotons most days.
Your right if it becomes cold and fake... it's not serving anyone any good. Then it's time to get out where you are serving and regain a healty balance again. The Apostle Paul said, "I am all things to all people so that they may know Christ." He clearly undserstond the ever changing morphing we have to do daily as we serve people at their highest and lowest points.
I simply people know it's not for everyone to have that type of role, and it does take a lot from you every day. Yet... I find it so worth it each night as I lay my head down.
Excellent answer!
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