What ever you do, do not let anyone but another pastor read this post. You’ll be tempted to give it to an elder or deacon or someone in the church that seems really concerned for you but DO NOT GIVE IN TO THAT TEMPTATION!! Ours has been called a “Dangerous Calling,” I disagree. Lumber jacks, deep sea fisherman, ice road truckers, police officers, soldiers, district attorneys, judges, young black males all have dangerous callings. Preachers have a humiliating calling. Ours is to follow Jesus Christ in his humiliation. It is a mantel that you did not think you were taking up but the longer you are in this job the more you must come to terms with this truth. You can stave it off with a totalitarian reign, or you can move every 5-7 years, or you can be a puppet that medicates with Netflix binges, booze, drugs, sex, anger or by being a workaholic but I believe our calling is to live and move and have our being in the valley of humiliation. I took vows when I was ordained one of them was this, {5. Have you been induced, as far as you know your own heart, to seek the office of the holy ministry from love to God and a sincere desire to promote His glory in the Gospel of His Son?} The valley of humiliation can be like when Christian battled the demon Apollyn in that valley in Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress.” 
It is like this because we forget that we vowed to be induced by a love of God and for his people. Actually later in Bunyan’s work he describes the valley this way, “But we will come again to this Valley of Humiliation. It is the best and most useful brave piece of ground in all those parts. It is fat ground, and, as you see, consisteth much in meadows; and if a man were to come here in the summer-time, as we do now, if he knew not anything before, thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see that that would be delightful to him. Behold how green this Valley is, also how beautified with lilies(Song. 2:1). I have also known many labouring men that have got good estates in this Valley of Humiliation (“for God resisteth the proud, but gives grace unto the humble,” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5), for indeed it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls..” The question that needs to be answered by every minister, is how do I get to the place where I view my calling as beautiful as this valley instead of a valley of despair? 
We at Bent-Tree are seeking to help men do just that, we hope you can join us this October and beyond.