Bouncing Back

I read a devotional today that spoke directly to where I am at right now. It was a short piece about perseverance... but it wasn't the stuff about perseverance I really needed to hear... it was one of the quotes in the devotional provided. The quote was given from an unnamed basketball coach: "Being in good shape is never measured by how tired you become. It's how fast you recover."

What a great quote... and one that's adaptable, at least in my mind, to being in good spiritual shape. Truth be told, I've been wrestling with a few ministry related things recently. There's been some situations that have put me in a bit of tail spin emotionally... and it really seemed hard to pull out of it.

Maybe the lesson I need to be reminded of here is that my spiritual health directly relates to my ability to recover from criticism... disagreements... disappointments... etc. The tailspins will come in ministry... they just will. The questions I have to ask and answer appropriately: How am I feeding my soul? Am I interacting with God in a way that will bring spiritual health? Am I spiritually healthy enough to bounce back from the tailspins of life in a quick and responsible way?

So in my personal journey... this is what I'm going to concentrate on this fall. What feeds my soul? What things should be in my life that aren't currently that would make a difference in my spiritual health? If I can adequately answer those questions... I think it will go a long way in helping me 'bounce back' quicker and stronger in the midst of the storms that come in ministry.