Last week, one of my teachers and heroes, Bill Hughes, said goodbye to his beloved wife, whom he had been married to for 60 years. She went to glory, where she met her Savior, and her suffering ended. Bill spent most of his time. His long and loyal ministry serving in Scotland. During the week, thinking of Bill and praying for him, I remembered a simple but profound truth I learned from him about how to endure the constant struggles of pastoral ministry. 4 That I heard Bill Hughes preach, he made the following observation to answer the persistent question: “What do I have to do to endure the difficulties of pastoral ministry?”
“Never forget the debt we have with mercy. “
- Do you understand what I mean? It is a simple and shocking truth.
- Yet applied to all that as shepherds we are subject to face.
- Is able to produce perseverance in every tribulation.
- Struggle and difficulty.
- Bill taught that when we remember who we were and the immense debt.
- We owe him to the mercy of our Savior.
- We will be more patient.
- Merciful.
- And merciful even in the midst of the most tenacious and insignificant conflicts and grievances we feel in the church; Similarly.
- If we forget who we were and underestimate the debt we have with mercy in the gospel.
- These same people and problems will consume.
- Destroy.
- And destroy our ministry.
Dear brother, if you feel discouraged, angry, ask why some people in your church say the things they say and act like they do, and you can no longer bear it, don’t forget the debt you feel sorry for. It is a greater debt than you and I could repay, it is a debt that must have more weight in our joyful hearts than the most difficult person in our church, apply this powerful truth I have learned from this kind and faithful man, and find out if he can find the hope and perspective he needs for that person or that difficult circumstance he must face in his ministry.
By: Brian Croft. © Practical Shepherding, Inc. Website: practicshepherding. com. Translated with permission. Source: How to deal with pastoral difficulties?
Original: Persevere amid the difficulties of pastoral care. © Return to the Gospel. Website: voltemosaoevangelho. com All rights are reserved Translation: Frank Brito Comment: Filipe Castelo Branco.