(ThyBlackMan.com) One of my favorite Prophets in the bible has to be the Prophet Jeremiah. According to Jeremiah 1:5, before he was even formed in his mother’s womb, the Lord said, “I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you, I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah is often called the crying Prophet because he literally immersed himself in the issues and circumstances of the people to whom the Lord called him to prophesy to. In fact, Jeremiah is also the writer of the book of Lamentations. Lamentations itself means to express grief or distress. The prophet expressed his grief and distress over Jerusalem after its destruction by the Babylonians. It is through this anointed man of God that we see regardless of the calling upon your life, if you do not find solitude in Jesus Christ, you will find yourself stressed out and ineffective in ministry, work and family.
I want to speak to men who serve in ministry. Many times we believe that we are not vulnerable to the cares and issues of this life because of who and what 
we do for God. However, I want to caution you to consider the fact that even Jesus Christ came to a distressed moment in the Garden of Gethsemane. Are you greater than He? Of course the answer is no.
As men, we tend to keep all of our issues to ourselves because to be transparent is almost a sign of weakness or ones inability to handle the pressure. This fallacy created by manhood mumbo-jumbo is one of the leading reasons why men fail in ministry because of some indiscretion or health issue. If indeed you want to continue to be a help and leader to those who follow you, depend on you and love you, it is imperative that you identify the early signs of stress and depression. Here are a few signs that may catch your attention and cause you to consider where you stand:
- Constant sleepless nights or too much sleeping.
- Consistent headaches that lead to additional pain throughout the body.
- Weight loss or excessive weight gain.
- Anger fits and lashing out at those who are around you for no reason.
- Inability to make clear decisions.
- Constant desire to be alone and isolated.
- Sporadic moments of crying or outbursts.
If you are experiencing at least four of these symptoms at the same time, you need to seek help from your pastor and a medical professional. Allow me to preference this statement by saying there is nothing wrong with admitting that you cannot handle the stress of work, family, debt, and other issues. The fact that you are man enough to admit you cannot handle it and seek the help of the Lord shows that you trust the Lord for a turn-around in your processing of how to deal with difficult situations.
After you seek help try to develop a routine to keep your stress level at a manageable level:
- Pray to the Lord on a consistent basis and ask Him to give you His peace.
- Confide your concerns in a well- trusted and mature Christian Brother.
- Establish an exercise routine.
- Get you some Christian friends who will not allow you to have a pity party.
- If you are a pastor, church leader or supervisor, learn how to delegate those things that others can do for you. You do not have to prove that you are invincible.
- Plan leisure time with your spouse or family throughout the year.
- Establish a cut-off time to do work. Don’t continue the patterns of a workaholic.
- Read the word of the Lord on a consistent basis to feed your spirit man.
- Cast your cares upon the Lord because He really does care for you.
The Prophet Jeremiah came to a conclusion in Lamentations 3: 19-23, that regardless of the stressors he experienced in ministry, he still had hope because of the mercies of the Lord afforded to him on a daily basis.
Man of God, don’t allow the enemy to convince you to continue in the emotional whirlwind that you are currently in. Break out by first seeking the Lord and then doing the things necessary to keep you in the frame of mind of Jeremiah. There is hope even during difficult times.
Staff Writer; Kevin M. Jackson
To read more articles by this Christian brother feel free to visit; Life Lessons For My Sons.
