Even though she’s writing about preaching in particular, PeaceBang’s thoughtful comments are one of the best descriptions of what it’s like to be in the ministry that I’ve yet to read (emphasis mine):

• preaching is the aspect of ministry that brings me the most constant anxiety (which I am beginning to understand as "passion tinged with a sense of profound, unremitting responsibility");
• preaching is the honor granted me by a congregation whose trust and attention I constantly want to keep earning;
• preaching is the art form that connects me to my life-long, intuitive and unexamined adoration of language ("Word!");
• preaching is the one aspect of ministry within which I grant myself almost no self-forgiveness, because while one can never fully prepare to make the best possible pastoral response in any given situation, one can (and should) be damned well prepared to climb into the pulpit on a Sunday morning.