In your work of ministry, do you ever get tired, discouraged, or frustrated? Do you ever feel broken down, beaten up, or disheartened? More than likely, you have in the past and will again. Our differing ministry contexts, personalities, and skill sets affect what impacts us negatively, but here are a few possibilities.
You have done all you know to do but still aren’t seeing souls saved.
You prepare your heart and mind for worship and give your all in the preaching each week, but the people seem focused on anything but God.
The Godliest people in the church have the least influence, while the power people are the least spiritually mature.
You see others in ministry doing the same things you do, or even relying on secular techniques, and succeeding.
A trusted friend or family in the church suddenly turns on you and / or leaves the church without explanation.
At every point of success, some party in the church finds a way to undercut the work.
I imagine you could use some encouragement, so I would like to remind you of a passage that has re-focused and encouraged me on occasion – 2 Corinthians 4. As we hear the Apostle’s heart verses, keep in mind we are not haring a list of instructions but the testimony of one who was hard-pressed by ministry challenges, yet sustained by the Lord. In his words, we too can be encouraged. First, your ministry and mine is worth doing well if we are pointing people to Jesus. What a humbling and freeing thought that God, in His greatness, condescends to use us for His purposes! Remember that, although we may serve at the pleasure of our churches, we serve at the behest of, for the pleasure of, and by the mercy of God Almighty. Therefore, you and I are called and encouraged to integrity, excellence, and faithfulness, which really are the true standards in our work, which flows from a genuine connection with the Lord Jesus. Second, your ministry and mine is sustained by God’s power. Time and again, I have had to strive to let God’s “enough” take the place of my “not enough” through faith and dependence on Him, and challenges may serve as reminders of our need for His empowering work. As I write these words, I pray that you will find God’s power at the point of your need so you may be sustained in the work God has called you to. As I think about the sustaining work of God’s power, it seems that some do not rely on God’s power; some get to busy to foster intimacy with God for that power; and some are not sure how to find that sustaining connection. May you and I walk in His power. Finally, your ministry and mine is all about the eternal. This seems so hard to keep in mind in the week-to-week work of ministry. There are the very present spiritual and health concerns of the people. There are the very present and temporal issues of staff relationships, coordination, and task interactions. There are the very temporal issues of building, budget, meetings, etc. Paul points us to three elements of the eternal. One is the inward renewal of the Lord Jesus whom we serve, as His resurrection power lifts us day-by-day. Another is the weight of glory in our work – a weight of glory that is sometimes hard to see amidst all the inglorious realities of daily life and work. Then, there is simply keeping our eyes on the eternal and spiritual instead of the temporal.
One risk I run in addressing such a weighty passage and such a sacred matter in so brief a space is that you may feel I have slighted the depth of your challenges or offered surface reminders. My intent is to let the Lord spark renewal and encouragement in you and your work as you reflect on these things. I hope there is someone in your world with whom you can grab a cup of coffee and discuss these things, then lift them in prayer. Be blessed in Jesus as you serve.
What is one particular challenge that discourages you if it is not represented in the list I mentioned earlier?
What one or two ways of remaining encouraged have you found helpful in your ministry?
How do you or how might you keep the unseen and eternal in view moving forward in your ministry?