How to finish well

This poem was shared by a pastor today in chapel. In his sermon he was addressing the staggering statistics about people in ministry who burn out and quite. Obviously recognizing the reality that ministry is hard How do we deal with and work through the difficult situations and be people who finish well? The speaker presented 2 Peter 1:3-8 with emphasis on verse 6 as an answer. He focused on self-control and steadfastness; showing the necessity for both of these in the life of a believer and even more so in one who is involved in full time ministry. I know that it is not scripture but the speaker also referred to this poem as a source of encouragement and motivation in his own life.

I found the thoughts in this poem to be inspiring.

IF.....


IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

- Rudyard Kipling