Battling discouragement in ministry
As a pastor’s kid that married a pastor, I’ve been around ministry my entire life. I know all of the ins and outs of serving in a church, and I can’t imagine living life any other way. There are so many blessings that come with the great privilege of serving in ministry. It’s amazing to get a front row seat to see people come to faith in Christ, to see wounds healed, to see prayers answered. Sadly, I’ve often also seen the ugly side of church work. Some days you know too much. You hear all of the complaints. You’re overwhelmed by your calendar. You feel like you are working non-stop with few results. It can be so discouraging. I know I have often felt the most discouraged when my heart and mind are focused more on myself and on what I’m doing than on the Savior.
I help to teach a youth Sunday School class at my church. This semester we are going through a curriculum called The Gospel-Centered Life for Teens. It’s a great little study that really helps students to understand the Gospel and how they can apply it to their everyday lives. But as usually happens when I’m teaching any class, I find that so much of it is exactly what I need to hear as well. It may be geared for teens, but this 40-something mom is getting a lot from it. The past few weeks the lessons have talked about how “pretending” and “performing” keep us from fully embracing the cross and Jesus in our lives. These two words keep running through my head, as I evaluate my own relationship with God.
I keep thinking how often I have pretended that everything was okay. I have put up a good front because I’m “the pastor’s wife”. I have tried to ignore the fact that I have sin in my life that I need to confess. I don’t want people to think poorly of me. I have compared myself to others, and I’ve often thought, “Well, at least I’m not that person!” As I diminish or ignore my own sin, I am also diminishing and ignoring the work of Jesus in my own life. This doesn’t mean we need to confess all of our deepest sins to the whole church, but it does mean that I need to be regularly admitting and confessing my sin to God and to trusted people in my life. I will be a better leader and a better disciple of Christ when I humbly admit my failings and my need for Jesus.
As I diminish or ignore my own sin, I am also diminishing and ignoring the work of Jesus in my own life.
I have “performed” and worked to try to earn God’s favor. I know that salvation is through faith alone, but if I’m being honest, there have been plenty of times that I’ve thought that my works may make God like me more. I have served in the church out of obligation or to please others. I may be doing “good deeds”, but I’m really just working for my own selfish reasons. It’s me thinking that I have some control in the matter. My performance takes away from the power of the cross rather than pointing others toward it. .
My performance takes away from the power of the cross rather than pointing others toward it.
It’s sobering to think of how often this happens in the church. We get wrapped up in a cycle of trying to please others and also earn the favor of God. We judge success by our own standards rather than by God’s. This is what can lead to so much discouragement for me. I know I need to examine my life and find the areas where I need to surrender my need for pretending and performing. I can rest in the knowledge that the all holy God of the universe loves me and has provided all that is needed for me. My salvation is secure. His love for me is secure. I can feel freedom to love and lead people for God’s glory. I can rely on the Holy Spirit to humble me and empower me to do the work He has called me to do, which is to lead people to Jesus. May this be true for all of us serving the church in some capacity.
Heavenly Father, convict us of those places where we are pretending or diminishing our own sin, humble us where we are merely performing, and lead us to humble service that magnifies You. In Jesus Name- Amen
Melissa Busby leads the ministry wives support network for the BCNE and serves in the women’s, youth, and children’s ministries at South Shore Baptist Church in Hingham, MA, where her husband serves as senior pastor.
