It’s not easy being a pastor! Don’t you agree? With about 1500–1700 pastors leaving the ministry each month, we can most certainly agree, it’s not easy being a pastor.
The more I interact with pastors, I keep hearing stories of discouragement, despair, and disappointment.
One of the places I go when I’m having a difficult time in ministry is 2 Corinthians. Paul writes, “…we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7, ESV)
I believe one of the reasons we struggle so much in ministry is that we tend to make it about us and not about Him. We need to echo the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase and I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
We are jars of clay. Jesus is the treasure. We are fragile. The gospel of grace is strong.
When the “jars of clay” gather together in groups, there is an opportunity for us to remind each other that it is about the “treasure” and not about the “clay.”
We have the opportunity to remind each other of some important truths:
Ministry is a merciful gift of God’s grace.
Now I know some times ministry doesn’t seem like a gift. I’ve been there. There have been times a job at McDonald’s seems preferable to the attacks, destructive criticism, and feelings of futility. But I’ve learned (the hard way) that when I focus on these things I’m really focusing on me—the clay—rather than on Him—the treasure!
Paul reminds us that we have “this ministry by the mercy of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:1)
You know as well as I that mercy is receiving God’s blessings and gifts even though we don’t deserve them. Our ministries are gifts from God we don’t deserve. This truth is starting to give me peace and freedom. I’m just beginning to learn this lesson. Mercy means I need to focus on the Giver, the Treasure—not the fragile, weak jar of clay. When those tough times come—and they have and they will—remembering God’s call is a merciful gift for comfort in the storm.
Ministry isn’t easy. We are in spiritual warfare.
Maybe one of the reasons men and women in ministry are fleeing their pulpits is because somehow they were under the mistaken impression ministry is easy. Maybe the reason some of us are “sinking” is because we’ve forgotten that we are soldiers in a spiritual battle.
After Paul reminds us that our ministry is by the mercy of God, he continues, “…we do not lose heart.”
Paul knew what he was talking about. Later on (2 Corinthians 11), he reminds us that five times he was beaten with whips, three times with rods. He was stoned (with rocks) once and shipwrecked three times. He informs us that he was in constant danger. Add to that “the daily pressure on [him] of [his] anxiety for all the churches.” (And you just have one!) How does this compare with a rough meeting with your church board?
This wasn’t always true of me, but I have learned (again the hard way) when the hard times in ministry come, they actually confirm the call. The truth is ministry isn’t easy and we are in spiritual warfare. War is scary. There are enemies, weapons, and casualties. But we know, despite all of this, we are already victorious!
Ministry means reflecting His light not our own accomplishments.
Sometimes we might be tempted to think the rise and fall of our ministry depends on our giftedness, abilities, and personality. (Again, notice the focus on the clay rather than the treasure.)
Paul reminds us “…God, who said, ‘Let the light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Later on in 2 Corinthians Paul states he boasts in his own weaknesses. When was the last time you sat down in your group and shared your weaknesses? “Hey, as I update my story with you today I want you to know how I blew it last Sunday.”
Let’s be honest—clay is weak, fragile, and not valuable. Of course, if we were really honest, everything powerful and impactful in our ministry comes by God’s mercy. The treasure is strong, durable, and of precious value.
We need to encourage each other to take “the lid off the jar” and let the glorious light of the treasure of Christ and the gospel of grace shine in its full glory!
When we learn to focus on the treasure rather than the clay, our ministries will show God’s surpassing power. People need to see the treasure. God uses the jars of clay to transport that treasure to people who need to see the His glory.
Even in the tough times we’ll be able to say,
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
--2 Corinthians 4:8-10, ESV
The more I interact with pastors, I keep hearing stories of discouragement, despair, and disappointment.
One of the places I go when I’m having a difficult time in ministry is 2 Corinthians. Paul writes, “…we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7, ESV)
I believe one of the reasons we struggle so much in ministry is that we tend to make it about us and not about Him. We need to echo the words of John the Baptist, “He must increase and I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
We are jars of clay. Jesus is the treasure. We are fragile. The gospel of grace is strong.
When the “jars of clay” gather together in groups, there is an opportunity for us to remind each other that it is about the “treasure” and not about the “clay.”
We have the opportunity to remind each other of some important truths:
Ministry is a merciful gift of God’s grace.
Now I know some times ministry doesn’t seem like a gift. I’ve been there. There have been times a job at McDonald’s seems preferable to the attacks, destructive criticism, and feelings of futility. But I’ve learned (the hard way) that when I focus on these things I’m really focusing on me—the clay—rather than on Him—the treasure!
Paul reminds us that we have “this ministry by the mercy of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:1)
You know as well as I that mercy is receiving God’s blessings and gifts even though we don’t deserve them. Our ministries are gifts from God we don’t deserve. This truth is starting to give me peace and freedom. I’m just beginning to learn this lesson. Mercy means I need to focus on the Giver, the Treasure—not the fragile, weak jar of clay. When those tough times come—and they have and they will—remembering God’s call is a merciful gift for comfort in the storm.
Ministry isn’t easy. We are in spiritual warfare.
Maybe one of the reasons men and women in ministry are fleeing their pulpits is because somehow they were under the mistaken impression ministry is easy. Maybe the reason some of us are “sinking” is because we’ve forgotten that we are soldiers in a spiritual battle.
After Paul reminds us that our ministry is by the mercy of God, he continues, “…we do not lose heart.”
Paul knew what he was talking about. Later on (2 Corinthians 11), he reminds us that five times he was beaten with whips, three times with rods. He was stoned (with rocks) once and shipwrecked three times. He informs us that he was in constant danger. Add to that “the daily pressure on [him] of [his] anxiety for all the churches.” (And you just have one!) How does this compare with a rough meeting with your church board?
This wasn’t always true of me, but I have learned (again the hard way) when the hard times in ministry come, they actually confirm the call. The truth is ministry isn’t easy and we are in spiritual warfare. War is scary. There are enemies, weapons, and casualties. But we know, despite all of this, we are already victorious!
Ministry means reflecting His light not our own accomplishments.
Sometimes we might be tempted to think the rise and fall of our ministry depends on our giftedness, abilities, and personality. (Again, notice the focus on the clay rather than the treasure.)
Paul reminds us “…God, who said, ‘Let the light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Later on in 2 Corinthians Paul states he boasts in his own weaknesses. When was the last time you sat down in your group and shared your weaknesses? “Hey, as I update my story with you today I want you to know how I blew it last Sunday.”
Let’s be honest—clay is weak, fragile, and not valuable. Of course, if we were really honest, everything powerful and impactful in our ministry comes by God’s mercy. The treasure is strong, durable, and of precious value.
We need to encourage each other to take “the lid off the jar” and let the glorious light of the treasure of Christ and the gospel of grace shine in its full glory!
When we learn to focus on the treasure rather than the clay, our ministries will show God’s surpassing power. People need to see the treasure. God uses the jars of clay to transport that treasure to people who need to see the His glory.
Even in the tough times we’ll be able to say,
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
--2 Corinthians 4:8-10, ESV
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