View post-sermon discouragement as a gift, not to yourself, but to the congregation. I learned this from James Pennington at the Heritage Preaching Lectures last October. Pennington described the emotional and psychological cost of preaching as a gift the preacher gives to the congregation, one that often goes unseen and unrecognized.

A well-known preacher, celebrated for his skill, was once asked how he felt after preaching. His one-word answer: embarrassed.

It’s something we rarely discuss: the discouragement many preachers experience after stepping down from the pulpit. Yet it’s surprisingly common.

If we’re going to persevere in this calling, we need to learn how to navigate through feeling discouraged after we’re done preaching.

A Common Struggle

This struggle isn’t new. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of the greatest preachers of the last century, confessed, “I can say quite honestly that I would not cross the road to listen to myself preaching.” Many of us can relate to Rev. John Ames, the main character of Gilead, when he said:

I had a dream once that I was preaching to Jesus Himself, saying any foolish thing I could think of, and He was sitting there in His white, white robe looking patient and sad and amazed. That’s what it felt like.

We don’t feel this way every week. But most preachers occasionally, even regularly, feel deeply disappointed with their preaching and sit down feeling discouraged.

I once proposed ways to avoid this problem, but someone I respected corrected me. Discouragement, he said, is simply part of the preaching task. There’s no way around it.

What to Do When You Feel Discouraged After Preaching

Here’s what I’ve found helpful when discouragement strikes after preaching. None of these will eliminate the problem, but they’ve helped me respond faithfully.

Expect It

I’m no longer surprised when this happens. Don’t be caught off guard; it’s a normal part of preaching. When discouragement comes, don’t panic or assume you’ve failed. Recognize it as part of the territory and remember that your feelings about the sermon aren’t necessarily an accurate measure of its effectiveness.

Get Feedback

A far better indicator is feedback from trusted believers. Make sermon review a regular part of your preaching rhythm.

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