Delight in God: A Remedy for the Monday Blues
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” Psalm 37:23-24
Pastor, some days we wake up feeling like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, stuck in the mud of a cistern (Jeremiah 38:6). Maybe it’s Monday, and the adrenaline from Sunday’s sermons, counseling sessions, and ministry demands has crashed, leaving you physically and emotionally spent. Maybe it’s not just Mondays, but a season of discouragement where you wonder if your preaching, praying, and pastoring are making a difference in a distracted, chaotic world. The weight of caring for your flock, your family, and your own soul can feel like sinking into the mud of loneliness or doubt.
Yet, Psalm 37:23-24 offers a lifeline: God establishes your steps, delights in your faithful way, and upholds you when you stumble. As you pour out your heart in ministry, there’s a “triple delight” to anchor you—your delight in God, His delight in you, and the joy of knowing He sustains your path.
David Guzik reminds us of the privilege of this truth:
Psalm 37:4-5 calls us to “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” For pastors, this delight isn’t just a personal joy—it’s a pastoral lifeline. Ministry can drain you, but delighting in God refills your soul. When you trust Him, remain faithful, and commit your way to Him, your desires align with His and He delights in the steps you take, even when they feel faltering.
Charles Spurgeon, a pastor who knew the weight of ministry, wrote:
Pastor, your faithful preaching, your late-night prayers, your care for the hurting—God sees and delights in these steps. Even when you feel stuck in the mud of discouragement, He upholds you. Like Jeremiah, who was rescued from the cistern by God’s provision (Jeremiah 38:7-13), you are not forsaken. The God who called you to shepherd His people is your stronghold.
But let’s be honest, Mondays (and some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or entire seasons) can feel like a battle. As Joshua Finley notes in his reflections on pastoral ministry, the Monday blues often stem from three realities:
When you’re in the mud, these truths can lift you out. As Psalm 37:7 urges, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way.” Why fret over numbers, criticism, or comparison when your greatest delight is in God? Your deepest desire—to know Him and make Him known—is met in Christ, who was forsaken so you would never be.
Eugene Peterson, a pastor who understood the long haul of ministry, wrote:
Your calling is not in vain, even on the hardest days. When you delight in God, you find strength to love your flock boldly, speak truth courageously, and serve selflessly—not to please people, but to honor the God who delights in you. As Psalm 37:39-40 assures, “The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them… because they take refuge in him.”
So pastor, on those mud days, take refuge in the triple delight: delight in God’s presence, rest in His pleasure over you, and trust that He’s guiding your steps. Be kind to yourself—rest, pray, and seek support if needed. The same God who sustained you through last Sunday’s sermon has all the grace you need for this week. You are upheld, not by your strength, but by His hand.
Pastor, some days we wake up feeling like Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, stuck in the mud of a cistern (Jeremiah 38:6). Maybe it’s Monday, and the adrenaline from Sunday’s sermons, counseling sessions, and ministry demands has crashed, leaving you physically and emotionally spent. Maybe it’s not just Mondays, but a season of discouragement where you wonder if your preaching, praying, and pastoring are making a difference in a distracted, chaotic world. The weight of caring for your flock, your family, and your own soul can feel like sinking into the mud of loneliness or doubt.
Yet, Psalm 37:23-24 offers a lifeline: God establishes your steps, delights in your faithful way, and upholds you when you stumble. As you pour out your heart in ministry, there’s a “triple delight” to anchor you—your delight in God, His delight in you, and the joy of knowing He sustains your path.
David Guzik reminds us of the privilege of this truth:
“Another great and present benefit for the righteous man or woman is the knowledge that God delights in him. This is especially clear for the believer under the New Covenant who knows and experiences a standing in grace, having been justified by faith (Romans 5:1-2).”
Psalm 37:4-5 calls us to “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” For pastors, this delight isn’t just a personal joy—it’s a pastoral lifeline. Ministry can drain you, but delighting in God refills your soul. When you trust Him, remain faithful, and commit your way to Him, your desires align with His and He delights in the steps you take, even when they feel faltering.
Charles Spurgeon, a pastor who knew the weight of ministry, wrote:
“To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty. He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body, but the desires of the heart, if those desires are God-given and God-glorifying.”
Pastor, your faithful preaching, your late-night prayers, your care for the hurting—God sees and delights in these steps. Even when you feel stuck in the mud of discouragement, He upholds you. Like Jeremiah, who was rescued from the cistern by God’s provision (Jeremiah 38:7-13), you are not forsaken. The God who called you to shepherd His people is your stronghold.
But let’s be honest, Mondays (and some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or entire seasons) can feel like a battle. As Joshua Finley notes in his reflections on pastoral ministry, the Monday blues often stem from three realities:
- Physical Fatigue: Preaching and ministering are exhausting, equivalent to a full day’s manual labor. The adrenaline dump leaves you drained, and your body needs rest.
- Spiritual Attack: The enemy loves to exploit your fatigue, whispering doubts about your impact or worth. Stay close to Jesus, for the adversary is a defeated foe.
- Personal Assessment: It’s tempting to compare yourself to other pastors or measure your worth by Sunday’s “success.” But God isn’t scoring you against Instagram highlight reels. Leave the scrutiny to the Holy Spirit.
When you’re in the mud, these truths can lift you out. As Psalm 37:7 urges, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way.” Why fret over numbers, criticism, or comparison when your greatest delight is in God? Your deepest desire—to know Him and make Him known—is met in Christ, who was forsaken so you would never be.
Eugene Peterson, a pastor who understood the long haul of ministry, wrote:
“The pastoral vocation is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is not something we do when we feel like it, but something we do because God has called us to it, and because people need us to do it.”
Your calling is not in vain, even on the hardest days. When you delight in God, you find strength to love your flock boldly, speak truth courageously, and serve selflessly—not to please people, but to honor the God who delights in you. As Psalm 37:39-40 assures, “The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them… because they take refuge in him.”
So pastor, on those mud days, take refuge in the triple delight: delight in God’s presence, rest in His pleasure over you, and trust that He’s guiding your steps. Be kind to yourself—rest, pray, and seek support if needed. The same God who sustained you through last Sunday’s sermon has all the grace you need for this week. You are upheld, not by your strength, but by His hand.