10 Reasons I Am Thankful To Be A Pastor
Sometimes I complain about being a pastor.
There are times when I have Elijah moments (1 Kings 19:1-18). I feel depressed and whine to God about how I don’t have the strength to keep going.
I think, if we are honest, we would admit that most of us have felt this way about ministry.
Ministry is difficult! It can be extremely discouraging and defeating.
It is times like these, when you feel down or discouraged in ministry, that you have to remember why you got started in the first place. You have to remember why you made the decision to follow God’s calling to ministry.
I have to constantly remind myself why I should be thankful. So, I made a quick list over Thanksgiving of ten reasons I am thankful to be a pastor.
No matter how difficult ministry may get, I can look at these things and know I am truly more blessed than I think.
10 Reasons I Am Thankful To Be A Pastor
- I get to tell everyone about the hope and salvation I have found in Jesus, and have a front row seat to see God change people’s lives.
- I get the privilege of preaching God’s word to his people.
- I get to spend every day seeking Jesus and doing my best to do what he says.
- I get to meet and enjoy relationships with all kinds of people from all different ages, races, places, and walks of life.
- I have a church community that genuinely loves my family and me.
- I have the peace of mind knowing that if any hardship or tragedy may strike me or my family, my church family would be there for us.
- There is no better accountability system for sin than knowing that everyone in the church and the community is watching how I live.
- I actually get paid to do ministry so that I can focus on it full-time.
- God uses my imperfect efforts to accomplish his perfect mission.
- I am investing my life in the only thing that will last forever.
What about you?
Why are you thankful to be a pastor?
And for those of you who are not pastors, what should pastors be more thankful for?
(This is an updated article, originally published on November 28, 2014.)
Great 10 points! Good work! BTW: It is “My family and me” not ” “my family and I.” Just trying to be a blessing!
The principle is this: 1. They love my FAMILY and 2. They love ME so together it goes like this… They love my FAMILY and ME!
You are absolutely right!
I was a pastor all my adult life until 60 and then became a missionary. Now …
No board meetings. No ruffled feathers to smooth. No 20 different “hats” to wear. No coming up with “new” material to preach/teach twice a week.
I was grateful then BUT now I would not go back! The Missionary life is more fruitful for me than pastoring a local congregation. From ministering to a congregation to ministering to a nation and beyond! Geography matters!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v97wTG0Q68Y
Blessings galore!
These are good reminders for me today. Much needed. Thank you for your work.
Honestly, what if some of these don’t matter to me? Learning about Lord Jesus is absolutely fascinating. But it feels that way once you are already studying the Bible. To actually sit and start studying, sometimes it feels enormously difficult and unrewarding. I wanna know what’s so wrong with me. I’m supposed to be planning a speech for this Monday, and here I am, thinking yet again about why I did not reject becoming a pastor when they told me to do it. But again, I think God doesn’t deserve me quitting. He has saved me through the Lord and I ought to “repay” Him so to speak.