Unless you’re quite different that I am, sometimes being a minister can become a real drag. People expect a lot from their ministers. And seldom does anyone ever think about the toll it might take on a pastor to constantly have to deal with other people’s problems.
Most people have enough on their plates just dealing with their own difficulties. But, ministers have to deal with the same kinds of problems in their lives with which other people have to deal. And, ministers have to constantly deal with the crises that assail the lives of their congregants.
In this environment of constant problems, a pastor must take time each week to prepare a message that will encourage the congregation, or convict them, maybe even scold them from time to time. That’s a really tough job. It is far more difficult than most lay people can comprehend.
Fortunately, we pastors do not approach this task of sermon preparation alone. God has graciously given us His Holy Spirit to lead us to the right message. Our task is to remain open and to listen carefully to the leading of the Spirit.
That’s why the time that we spend in God’s Word and in prayer is so very important. We have to be well prepared to respond when the Holy Spirit nudges us in a particular direction.
When we do pay careful attention to this supernatural leading of the Holy Spirit, God’s miraculous power will show up when we preach. Our sermons—the work of our feeble hands—will suddenly be energized by the Presence of the living Lord Jesus Christ. God will use our poor words to touch the minds and hearts of people in our congregations who need the precise words we are sharing in our sermons.
It’s important that we do not miss this miracle of God’s grace. He uses us, as ministers of His precious Word, to meet the real needs of our people. Ours is a sacred trust. We need to be conscious of His divine anointing and grateful that He has chosen us as instruments of His mercy, grace, and love.
You can listen to my thoughts on this subject in greater depth by clicking the link on this page that will take you to my Sermon-Coach.com website and then choose to listen to Podcast No. 186.
During this season of Advent, let us remain open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and determine to do our very best to follow His leading. Let us allow the Spirit to energize our sermons, as we help our people learn to anticipate the joy of Christ’s coming.
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Please click here to visit David Mains’ Sermon-Coach.com website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Please click here.
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