When J Oswald Sanders was General Director of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, he and his wife Edith experienced fatigue. In 1964, both of them faced a period of increased difficulty. For ten years, Oswald Sanders had been driving himself hard, and Edith had tried to keep pace. Both experienced physical mental and emotional strain.
Oswald Sanders had also been troubled by a neurotic condition which affected his heels. This needed surgery, but Edith’s health caused the most concern. Oswald had tried to protect her from highly sensitive issues, but because she often acted as his secretary, she would inevitably learn of matters that would distress her. She became exhausted, and was physically and emotionally depleted.
The directors of the mission wisely decreed leave of absence for a few months. Oswald continued his work as General Director, but with Melbourne as a base instead of Singapore. Edith received much help through consultations with a Christian woman psychiatrist., Oswald’s health was also restored after two successive operations.
These examples indicate that Christian leaders pay a heavy price for leadership. So do their wives. What happened to Oswald and to Dawson Trotman is not uncommon among leaders who bear the load of their responsibilities.
Discussion questions:
1. What are some of the symptoms and reasons for fatigue in the case of Dawson Trotman and J Oswald Sanders?
2. What actions did the doctors and directors of the missions take? What do you think might have happened had these two leaders continued in their fatigued condition?
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Dawson Trotman – emotional fatigue
* Re-printed with permission from Navmedia.
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