Many shepherds naturally tend to be discouraged and others are discouraged by the lack of visible fruit in the ministry they serve. Some are, right now, looking out the rearview mirror and watching another long period when things didn’t happen. he didn’t give the answer you were hoping for, the other member you were looking for refused to listen to the exhortation, hardened his heart and closed, people haven’t converted, no baptisms have been performed, and another year ends in which you seem to be in a hamster ester, making a lot of effort, but almost no accomplishment or movement. It’s hard to move forward.
Others feel abandoned and rejected, have been targeted by persecutions, unjust criticisms, and betrayals on the part of people to those who have given their hearts Do you feel like the Apostle Paul saying to the Corinthians: We do not limit our affection for you, but you limit your affection for us [?] Open your heart to us too, give us a place in your hearts. Since I love you so much, should I be less loved?
- These moments are certainly not easy and have a great capacity to bring discouragement.
- Disappointment.
- Desire to surrender (sometimes not just ministry) and bitterness.
- But you and I do not need to be slaves to all.
- The beauty of the Gospel is that it frees ordinary pastors like you and me into a life full of joy that can be lived and appreciated when we stop worshipping ministerial success and come to worship exclusively the One who has called and allows us.
- To serve.
- Which is yours.
When we love ministerial success, we end up anchoring our sense of identity and dignity in the department’s results, so when things don’t go our way, we feel discouraged, frustrated and willing to reject everything. that’s your standard, don’t be fooled into thinking that ministerial success would solve your problem. Know that if God gives you “ministerial success,” chances are it’s full of pride and pride, because when failure weighs on your heart, it’s a sign that achievements will rise to your head.
The Gospel frees us from each other, we are reminded that God does not love us based on our achievements, God does not expect your church to fill up, people to listen to you, write a book, preach in big conferences just to love yourself. In fact, he loved you and chose you in eternity past (Ephesians 1. 4) when you were dead (Ephesians 2. 1 and 4) and was his enemy (Colossians 1. 21).
We must remember these truths every day, because every day we are tempted to carry out ministry in search of what only God can give us, and in fact He has already given us in Jesus Christ. As long as we are worshippers of the ministry, we will do so in search of love, acceptance, dignity, and courage; in this sense, we will be merchants of the Word, trading with the sacred in search of satisfaction for our souls.
Only when we realize that in Jesus we already have all that our soul yearns for, will we be truly free to serve the Word to God’s people as an overflow of love and peace that we enjoy in Him, not in the search; as a gift from someone complete and not as an offer from someone waiting to be rewarded.
Pastoral friends, our ministry is important. There is no doubt that we must strive and work hard to answer the call of ministry, but ministry is not our life, Jesus is!His ministry and accomplishments do not determine our identity or our dignity, Jesus does. You’re not what you do, you’re what Jesus did for you. Therefore, He rests in His complete work, and continues in 2019, and for many years to come, to serve with love and joy the One who called you to be co-pastor with Him of the sheep (with some goats infiltrated) of Him. .
Rejoice!