Let’s face it: none of us are always going to respond correctly, especially when a challenging situation first hits.

So let’s talk briefly about what to do when we’ve had time to reflect and realize that we could have done things better. Here are three ideas about what to do if you find you’ve started handling a difficulty in an ineffective way:

• Don’t compound the mistake by continuing it. It takes some courage to admit you’ve made a mistake. Sometimes it’s easier to just keep plowing ahead, even if you’re going in the wrong direction. Stop! Repeating a mistake is much worse than making one in the first place.
• Admit your error. Most of us find it hard to admit mistakes. But good leaders can say, “I blew it” and move on. Admitting your mistakes makes you a stronger, more transparent leader. And it gives those around you permission to make mistakes also.
• Chart a new course. You may have started down the wrong road. But you can always change the path you’re on. The sooner you get started in the right direction, the sooner you can get to where you need to be.
• When you do respond incorrectly in a stressful circumstance, remember that few mistakes are fatal. Don’t compound your mistake by continuing it. Instead, admit your mistakes, apologize for your errors, and move forward in the correct direction.

There is not only one correct way to respond to any given difficult situation. With experience and dependence on the Holy Spirit, we can hopefully achieve some level of clarity about the source of our stress. That, in turn, helps us chart a course of action that can resolve the challenging circumstance.

– Nelson Searcy and Richard Jarman

The above excerpt is from p.40-42 of The Renegade Pastor’s Guide to Managing the Stress of Ministry.

Pastors Nelson Searcy and Richard Jarman share their secrets to effective stress management with practical steps and insights that you can start implementing immediately! God wants you to be a fruitful, faithful minister of the gospel. He wants you, as a Renegade Pastor, to rise above average as you pursue God’s best for you, your family, and your ministry.

P.S. – Click here to grab your copy from Amazon today!

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.