Joy in Ministry

Pastor, are you enjoying the ministry?

Having been a senior pastor for 40 years, I understand the hard, difficult side of local church ministry. Nevertheless, may I ask again, do you enjoy ministry?

Perhaps today or in recent weeks or even months, you would have to honestly say, “I am not joyful in the ministry.”

Why not?

Is it because . . .

Your expectations are not being met?
You have not been consistently meeting with the Lord in His Word and prayer, longing for God as a deer does for cool, flowing streams (Psalm 42:1)?
Your focus has been on the last offense, the last disappointment, and/or the last failure?
There is unconfessed sin in your life?
You have not taken a vacation in a very long time because you possibly think “your church” won’t survive if you aren’t there?
__________________________________ (Fill-in-the-blank)

May I encourage you?

Pastor, you will never find joy in ministry alone. Joy is only found in a Person. Jesus said to His disciples in the Upper Room, I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! (John 15:11 NLT)

What did Jesus tell the disciples and us as believers? Christ, the Vine dwells in you and produces His fruit in and through you as you the branch abide in Him. That joy is always present.

Truth is, JOY is not “Jesus, Others, and You.” It is only Jesus.

What does that say to us as pastors?

Your joy is always full because the fullness of joy dwells in you (John 14:20-21; 15:1-6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27).
Your joy is independent of your circumstances.
Your joy is produced by the Holy Spirit who dwells in you and is manifested through you as you walk in the Spirit and appropriate Christ’s joy in you (John 15:11; Galatians 5:22).
You can never lose your joy because to do so would be to lose Christ.
No one can “steal your joy” because is it eternal and dwells in you.
Jesus endured immense suffering on the cross, yet He endured it for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). Suffering can be turned to joy through Christ.

Going back to John 15:11, what is the very way Jesus expresses His joy to us? It is through His words; He speaks to us. Pastor, perhaps the joy of ministry is waning because you haven’t heard the sweet voice of Jesus in a very long time. I am not being mean when I say this, but we should long to hear the voice of Jesus speaking to our hearts through His Word much more than people hearing our voice preach His Word.

Joy in ministry is Christ. How about opening your Bible and let Jesus speak to you as you set aside all distractions and live out Matthew 11:28-30?

Enjoy the journey, Pastor friend. It’s Christ.