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Those in ministry can sometimes be the most susceptible to losing their passion and zeal for God and people. It is very easy to become a “professional minister” or to work in full-time ministry yet have a part-time devotion to God. I have personally experienced this in my own life, completely blind to the condition of my heart. To be completely honest I am still recovering from this and have to be on constant guard.

Here are some symptoms to be on the look out for in your own life:

1. Your time preparing a sermon has replaced your personal Bible study.
2. You avoid people and find yourself “hiding” in your office or backstage preoccupied with tasks and other staff members.
3. You encourage others to invite friends to church or to share their faith, but this is not something you attempt to do yourself.
4. You primarily depend on your own ability and training to do the work of ministry and only look to God when the situation exceeds your personal leadership capacity.
5. Systems are placed at a higher priority than the people they are intended to reach.
6. You rarely spend time in solitude with God away from the busyness of ministry.
7. You can’t remember the last time you cried or felt moved with compassion for the lost.
8. You project an unapproachable persona.

These are only a few, but I think you get the point. It’s important to remember that God is more concerned about having a relationship with you than the “success” of your ministry role. If you can identify with any of these symptoms then I would challenge you to get on your knees before God and ask him to restore a love for him and a love for people. For God to use you greatly, you must first love him deeply.