Fried? Here’s Help.

You and I’ve been there.

Whether we’re living there currently or not, I think Pete Greig will be helpful —

Might as well admit it: I’m fried.

It’s been an insanely busy few weeks – a lot of fun – but what happens now? How do I – how does anyone – adjust back to normality after a season of crazy spiritual, mental and emotional intensity? How do I avoid screwing up in the twilight after the limelight, the lull after the storm?

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SURVIVING THE LULL AFTER THE STORM

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Everyone has their own kind of ‘busy’ but for me the last couple of weeks have involved preaching to a lot of people, launching a book, leading a festival, responding to hundreds of emails, attending countless meetings, trying to raise crazy amounts of money, hosting leaders, a sloppy diet (basically chocolate, curry, crisps and gallons of coffee), the world’s worst rendition of an ABBA track, and inadequate sleep

The lull after any storm (and yours doesn’t have to look like mine) is one of the most vulnerable and dangerous times in anyone’s life. I heard about one famous pastor who used to secretly lock himself alone in a darkened basement for a few days after every preaching tour. To me that sounds a bit … unhealthy.

I’ve watched plenty of people over the years making terrible life-decisions during the vertigo-drop after a spiritual high. The late, great British renewal leader David Watson once confessed that he sometimes drove away from week-long missions in which hundreds had given their lives to Christ, questioning the very existence of God.

And so, over the years, I have developed 3 simple rules to help me navigate these lulls without doing anything too stupid: 1. Go slow / 2. Go low / 3. Go steady

— Yup, let’s save this for future reference, too.