Admitting failure is tough. It's painful and it creates embarrassment. Those two things alone make it worth avoiding. But when you find a way to say, "you know, I stunk, I dropped the ball, I didn't do a good job . . . I failed," those feelings of inadequacy, pain and embarrassment are washed away by the Grace of God. In my first run in ministry I did fail. It took me a few years, but I finally figured out why. Because I quit! That's it, that's the reason. Before the moment that I emotionally and mentally packed it in, I was just like any other minister who faced struggles. But I became different when I allowed Satan to use my struggles against me. I have committed to myself to be aware, and guard against these potential pitfalls.

There is a great book available for anyone working in ministry. Leadership From the Inside Out by Kevin Harney. It's a great read and provides insight into avoiding the pitfalls that all ministers face.

God Bless!