Trusting God with Ministry Pressures

Pastors have many things to worry about. Will you make budget this month? Why did that family leave the church? Why is the attendance going down? How will you find a staff member who fits your church’s DNA? There are innumerable concerns beyond these for each unique ministry situation. What can you do about these worries when they become overwhelming? The biblical solution is to learn to live by faith, trusting God.

You see, there is a difference between reading the Bible and trusting what it says. You probably know there is a difference between exegeting the Bible and trusting what it says. There is a big difference between preaching the Bible and trusting what God says. There is also a difference between meditating on the Bible and trusting what God says. Many pastors know their systematic theology well and can debate the finer points of theology but don’t know how to trust God. Believe me, I know. In other words, you can be faithful to the duties of pastoral ministry but be an anxious mess, not knowing how to trust the God you serve.

We must put our theology to work for us in the perplexities of life; it is robust enough to handle it! I believe that learning to trust God will lead to blessings in your life and the lives of those you lead. To trust God’s Word—choosing to believe its promises—is to trust God. This disciplined action results in calmness and assurance and in being a model to your flock. Let’s unpack what it means to trust God.

What is trust?

To help you understand trust, I would like to share a truth learned from Jerry Bridges’ wonderful book, Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts. This book has ministered to my soul many times through the years. It contains a succinct definition of a life of trust. He said, “Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us” (Jerry Bridges; Trusting God). Now that’s worth memorizing.

What does Bridges mean? The first time I read this, it was clear that he had done his homework and nailed what Scripture means by living a life of faith. Having done numerous Hebrew word studies, especially in the Psalms, I had seen a connection between hope, trust, wait, and rest. How do these words work together? By discipling yourself to believe the promises in spite of the circumstances it can lead to rest. Putting your hope in the Lord is to wait for Him.

Let’s unpack this more. First, Bridges says that it is a vigorous action, not passive. In other words, you can’t think that growing in faith will just happen to you. Faith has action built into it. It is not easy because right from the fall, we tend not to trust God and do things our way. We must fight against human nature and our desire to figure things out independently.

Bridges goes on to say that to do this, you must choose to believe God’s promises and cling to them even amid adversity. This means you’re going to have to talk to yourself. I have heard it said that it’s okay to talk to yourself–just don’t answer! But if you’re going to be truly biblical, you’ll have to be like the Psalmists and answer. The Psalmists ask questions like, “Why are you cast down oh my soul?” But then he answers and says, “Put your hope in God.” Simply put, you are speaking truth to yourself. The truth is the living Word of THE God of the universe, and He doesn’t lie (Numb. 23:19).

What to expect

Expect your inner person not to cooperate. Expect your mind to put up a fight. Expect your soul to be lazy and tell you it is too hard to discipline your mind when doubting thoughts and feelings enter. I have learned that my inner person—my mind—is not my best friend. It is often more natural to try to figure things out on my own. In ministry, what is often happening inside me is more difficult than the outward circumstances. Maybe that’s true for you as well.

Why is it worth the work?

If you discipline your soul and mind to do this, you will be an example to your flock. Scripture will come alive and enhance your preaching and counseling. You will have increased confidence that the Bible is true, and you can live with more peace. Scripture states there are many benefits to those who choose to believe. Promises like “perfect peace” (Isaiah 26:3-5) and help (Ps. 28:6-9) are commonly connected with the word trust.

Allow me to conclude with a personal story. I used the passages in the preceding sentence because the Lord used them in my life in times of extreme anxiety.

One time I was so tense from a conflict in the church that sleep seemed impossible. I began meditating on Isaiah 26:3-5, but that was not enough. Still, the results were amazing as I fought to believe what was said with my soul. Scripture says that Yahweh God is an everlasting Rock, and I can have perfect peace if I have a disciplined mind trusting Him. The rock metaphor stood out, so I meditated on God being like a rock. I also wanted to include truths about the gospel in my meditation, so instead of just picturing a rock, I pictured the empty tomb. This also reminded me that He had given me His resurrection power (Eph. 1:18-22).

These promises came alive as I studied passages, meditated, and took the next step to fight with my soul to choose to believe what God promised. In other words, I was trusting God.

What Can You Do?

Here are a few practical things you can do. How about memorizing the definition of trust? You could also pick three passages of Scripture that directly address your fears and memorize them. Practice telling your soul you believe them.

You will find that you will have more peace amid ministry pressures, and others will be blessed as they see you living by faith.

©2023 Ernie Baker. Used with permission.