Every Sunday morning, I sit in my office quietly for a couple of minutes when people start to arrive. I close my eyes and whisper, “You can do this. God will give you the strength and power.”

Then I turn it into a prayer. “Dear Lord, help me to be the pastor and the person I need to be. Give me the right words to say and your Spirit to say them.”

Going out into the congregation and engaging people is not my strength. However, I also know God wants me to connect meaningfully with people. 

I know the right thing to do, but I am naturally inclined not to do it. So, every Sunday morning, I give myself a pep talk. My old coach would say that I “psyche myself up.”

There is power in realizing you have control over your actions. You can overpower your emotions. You can find strength through your faith. You can do the right thing by stepping out of your comfort zone and trusting God to work through you.

This is not just true for preachers. It is true for everyone. You have the power to do God’s will even when every fiber of your being says, “I don’t want to.” Maybe you just need to give yourself a little pep talk.