Several weeks ago I asked for your help in regards for questions you would love for me to answer on this site. As I always say…I’m not an expert…but I’m more than willing to take a stab at questions people offer. Thanks to everyone who sent one in…I will try my best to answer several.
#1 - (From Matthew) - “I was just reading your blog and you are right. I have never known such pain and frustration in my life as I have since I have been pastoring. I have only been pastoring a short time but in that time I have felt like giving up several times…does it get any easier?”
Matthew…first of all let me assure you that you are completely normal—every pastor has felt like throwing in the towel at times…usually on Sunday nights or Monday mornings. (My toughest day is usually Tuesday for some reason.)
But to answer your question—NO, it doesn’t. (Please understand I am speaking from my personal experience.)
I am enjoying ministry (been in it for 16 years) more than ever before…but each step has became way more challenging and difficult than ever before.
- The spiritual warfare has become WAY more intense…I’ve had things happen to me that I do not talk about to very many people…they wouldn’t believe me.
- The sleepless nights have multiplied as I have often been awakened in the middle of the night to pray about the next step the church is going to take…or, often times, to pray for specific people in the church.
- The criticism has increased as people have said things about me that they would not say about their worse enemy…I’ve been misquoted, misrepresented and misunderstood.
- The relationships have gotten better…and worse. People have left the church because “they could not be close to me anymore.” And it always hurts when people leave…always.
- How I manage my time has become WAY more challenging…in the earlier days it was easy…but today with a wife, a child and a growing ministry…it’s tough.
It doesn’t get easier…but then again I don’t think it is supposed to. The only way it will ever get easier is if you finally lose your passion and desire to honor God above everyone and everything else and you cower in to the personal preferences of people.
It didn’t get easier for the apostles…they went from “follow me” to “take up your cross and follow me” (a deeper call for commitment!)
It never has gotten easier…but…it has gotten better…
- It is so worth it when I see people far from God open their lives to the call of Jesus and surrender to Him.
- It is so worth it when I see a marriage restored.
- It is so worth it when I begin to see people develop and grow spiritually.
- It is so worth it when I see kids coming to church…and LOVING IT!
- It is so worth it when I see teenagers who sell out to Jesus and make Him the priority in their life.
- It is so worth it when I see singles begin to highly value the covenant of marriage and refuse to settle for anything less than God’s best.
- It is so worth it when I see God’s kingdom advance and the gates of hell are pushed back just a little further.
It’s worth it. It doesn’t get easier…but it gets better…and we should never give up because…well, one day we will stand in front of Jesus—He has an assignment much tougher than ours and He didn’t give up! He’s worth it!