Monday’s Ministry Encouragement: Written to encourage you, my friend in ministry, to be refreshed and renewed as we live for Christ and look toward the Bema.
“Well, what’s the use in trying to love this congregation! They’ll probably just turn on me.”
“I’m not going to open myself up being hurt again.”
“I knew that’s how they would respond!”
All of these and more are statements from a heart that has grown cynical in the ministry.
To be cynical is to be “contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives; based on or reflecting a belief that human conduct is motivated primarily by self-interest” (Merriam-Webster).
“Cynicism among Christians appears as a collection of negative attitudes and expectations. Those attitudes may be directed toward ourselves or others, the church, conversions, gospel progress, growth in sanctification, and even toward God himself.” (Peter Adams)
Cynicism in ministry is dangerous ground.
- A cynical pastor has lost touch with the reality of life in Christ.
- A cynical pastor avoids being with people; is withdrawn.
- A cynical pastor has forgotten the sovereignty of God and the love of God.
- A cynical pastor has been consumed with his hurts.
- A cynical pastor thinks God has forsaken him.
- A cynical pastor’s time in the Word has become mundane and mechanical.
- A cynical pastor has a prayer life rather than a life of prayer.
Do any or all of the above describe you, pastor/missionary friend?
May I encourage you to let Matthew 26-27 be your best friend this week? Read these chapters slowly, thoughtfully, and in a quite place without distractions (leave your phone in another room). Treat these sacred words like a love letter from your fiancée!
Walk side-by-side with Jesus to the cross. Hear the mocking of the soldiers and the scribes and elders, the questions of the Sanhedrin, the denial and weeping of Peter, the rooster crow, the blaspheming of the crowd, the cry of Jesus at the nineth hour . . . .
Watch as Mary anoints Jesus’s feet, as He leads Passover with His disciples and announces His betrayal as well as Peter’s denial, as He prays in the Garden, as Jesus is arrested, interrogated, beaten, and shamed, as He is exchanged for Barabbas, as He walks the road to Calvary, as He is nailed to the cross, as the cross is lifted up, as He cries out in agony, and as he takes His last breath.
What have you heard? What have you seen? May I add, what have you felt?
Jesus experienced the very depths of man’s sinful heart. He heard it, watched it, and felt it. Yet,
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Pastor friend, Christ died for the very people that you have allowed to make you cynical. He took their sin upon Himself. Their attitudes and depravity did not change His course nor alter the plan of God. Surrender to the Christ in you (Colossians 1:27). Confess your sin (1 John 1:9). Live the crucified life (Galatians 2:20). Bask in the love of God (John 15:9). Rest in the sovereignty of God (Romans 8:28-29) . . . and then run to the tomb (Matthew 28). Rejoice in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings that is yours in Christ (Philippians 3:10)!
Through Christ alone, you can overcome cynicism in ministry! I know too well. I’ve been there. You can win through Him!!
fromapastorsheart.com 