Dear Pastor,

Your job is hard!

You carry the weight of endless expectations. Everyone expects different things from you. For some, you can never visit enough, be at enough, preach well enough, lead well enough, or counsel wisely enough. You are human with God-given limitations. This means you will regularly leave expectations unmet. Jesus experienced this and so will you.

Your job is hard!

You lead the most complex leadership structure in the world. You lead between God, a denominational structure, elders, staff, volunteers, congregation and family. All of which have different and, often, completing expectations and desires.

Your job is hard!

Your role experiences conflict, pain, sorrow, abandonment and betrayal. Unless people have done it, they will never know the sacrifice you give and the price you pay to love God and love others through your life and pastoral office.

Your job is hard BUT there is hope!

There is hope in Jesus, the head of the Church. Hope in Jesus who understands the pain of pastoral leadership and the sinking weight of expectation. Hope in Jesus who walks with you. Hope in Jesus who sent a counsellor to comfort, empower and lead you.

So…

For all the pastors who are in a season of ministry harvest, Jesus preaching to the multitudes celebrates with you.

For all the pastors who are feeling alone and abandoned, Jesus in the garden is praying with you.

For all the pastors who are feeling defeated and like ministry has strangled the life out of your soul, Jesus the resurrection and the life is calling you out of the grave and into life in Him.

For all the pastors who are feeling like they are in the midst of ministry drought, the Jesus of the desert will help you resist the temptation of quick fixes (stale bread made from rock) and find your hope in the fresh bread of faithful obedience and relentless dependence.

For all the pastors who are feeling like they are in the midst of a storm of conflict and challenge, Jesus is on board with you and has not abandoned ship.

No matter your ministry season, Jesus is with you!

For all my fellow pastors, find hope in Jesus and share it with each other. May you be reminded that Jesus is always enough and that Jesus in you is the hope of glory (not numerical success, met expectations or ministry competence).

If you need someone to confidentially talk to, please message me. I would love to listen, pray and encourage you.

For everyone who has a pastor, encourage them today and lift them up in prayer. Share this with your pastor with a message of encouragement and blessing.

Your friend,