Like all Christians, pastors want to hear at the end of their life, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21). Faithfulness requires we develop Christian character and perseverance.
But faithfulness is hard. We pastors serve with joy but discouragement rears its ugly head. It isolates us from others, incites doubt and uncertainty, and entices us to throw in the towel. When we’re not careful, this disappointment morphs from appropriate sadness or anger to despair and cynicism. The cynical heart then protects itself from potential pain and disappointment. But it also hinders faithfulness to Christ and his people.
THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP
It doesn’t have to be this way. The Lord is good to us. He wants us to experience his goodness even in our biggest disappointments. So he gives us friends.
I’ve known loneliness as a pastor, both as a solo church planter in central Los Angeles and the pastor of a revitalization in Southwest L. A. County. I’ve repeatedly faced desperation, and the need for more strength than I possessed. Thankfully, God in his mercy
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