Engaged pastoral ministry is messy. It is hard. It squashes pride. Pastors realize that they are not soveriegn to sanctify, judge motives, and truly know people. The path from the pastor and his congregation are walking towards the celestial city are laden with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) that would make the Taliban jealous. I remember the first year of ministry. A friend called me and asked how things were going. I told him, “It’s a crime scene everyday. It never stops.” Of course there are seasons of more intense trial; however, the overall tenor remains ardous.
TAKE THE TAXI TO THE CROSS
As a result pastors are known to experience times of depression and rejection. The answer to this is use these sovereignly arranged trials as lovingly dispatched taxi’s to drive us to Jesus. It was Jesus who was rejected, mocked, ridiculed, and hated for sinners like us. The fact that we are sinners ourselves who need a Savior, at every moment, brings the appropriate humility. Jesus died for rebels like us. And now, because of Jesus, his life, death and resurrection, believers have acceptance and reconciliation before God brings true gospel joy. This motivates as well as calibrates ministry.
LOOK FOR & SMILE AT THE RAVENS
During these same times of trials God often brings brothers or sisters along who are encouraging to us. I have noticed that these dear saints are often times quite unaware of how they are being used to nourish and encourage me in grace. Just like the ravens that brought Elijah bread and meat during the famine (1 Kings 17) so too these dear saints help sustain me by reminding me of God’s promises, faithfulness, mercy and grace. We serve the ministry of life (1 Cor. 3). And God continues to make and keep alive his saints to burn brightly the flame of grace in his church.
MAKE SOME LABELS
In order to help myself to be cognizant of God’s continued work of grace in his church I have created a label in my Gmail account entitled ‘Pastoral Encouragement’. This label functions like a folder in many other in box systems. It is a drawer, if you will, where I can keep these snapshots of gracious encouragement. Inside of this label there may be direct notes to me but there are also various observations or instances when people are thinking or acting biblically. This is good for my soul. I strongly encourage pastors to do similarly. This helps you to be reminded of God’s continued work of grace, your weakness, the fact that you labor for souls, and it shows true evidence of grace in your congregation. This will likewise serve to drive you to Christ, the head of the church.
If you are not a pastor I encourage you to make it a point to try to remind your pastor of God’s faithfulness, mercy and power. Try to point him to Jesus. Remind him of how God is using him in the local church. You never know when you are playing the part of a bird bringing nourishing words of grace to a hungry, tired, and weak minister.
