My answer to a friend:

There is no success in ministry, only service and moments of celebration.

If you choose to minister, expect to be misunderstood. All of the pain people carry will fall upon your brow, and you shall be the stand-in for every ignorant statement other ministers uttered to harm people created in God’s image.

If you choose to minister and claim to be called, those who cheer your moments of triumph carry the sharpest knives and have the subversive dexterity to compliment your ego and cut your soul at the same time. People will leave your circle of support, some because of you, but many because you refuse or are incapable of living up to the expectations they themselves believe are impossible.

If you choose to minister expect blood to be left on the pulpit, and the altar to stay wet with your tears. If the altar is dry and pulpit clean, you are performing not preaching.

If you choose to minister do not believe the lie or the hype. You will encounter your worst fears in your mirror and greatest strength on your knees. This is hard, sweet, brutal work that builds character or turns you into nothing but a simplistic character.

You will never be good enough, smart enough, wise enough, strong enough, kind enough, tough enough, humble enough, quiet enough, close enough, or holy enough.

But never ever forget this: “You are enough.” You are called not to be anything else but you. Rest in the knowledge God had enough holy humor to call a broken, ill-equipped, stumbling person such as yourself. It would have made more sense to call any other creature in creation but God called you! You need to smile and recognize the irony of your call. What a joke and an honor; God calls the jester of the court to be a prophet before the King.

If you choose ministry, know it is the greatest calling and most difficult job you will ever love.

Now stop whining and get back to work! Everybody bleeds; just don’t bleed on your people!