(16) Defeating Discouragement with Ourselves in Ministry

Ministry is Discouraging!

Sometimes it seams that the things that should give us the greatest joy and sense of purpose and fulfillment can cause us the most discouragement. Such is the case with ministry. When we seek to serve the Lord and minister to others, we often will find ourselves becoming discouraged. I once read a youth pastor’s musings over his ministry discouragement and found they struck a cord with me. See if you can identify with what he said.

Have you ever felt like giving up? Have you ever thought about leaving the ministry your involved in? Have you ever wondered whether or not God could use you or if you were just in His way?

Honestly for a long while I have felt like I have been dying inside… this year to me was going to be make or break. I was ready to give up. I have felt like I have been pushing and pushing without any results and have felt attacked… by parents and apathy among the youth ministry students and leaders. So I really had been contemplating whether or not I was cut out for this...Or whether it was even worth it or if I was God's man or was just in God's way.

Ministry discouragement is very real. It is not something to take lightly and it cannot be avoided. At some point in ministry almost everyone will suffer from some type of discouragement. If left unchecked, this discouragement can lead to depression or worse yet- someone leaving the ministry. It may be caused by conflict, lack of support, or any other number of things, but the truth is it is very real.

Can you relate to what he says? I sure can. And he is right, discouragement in ministry is a very common reality and great danger to guard against. Even if it doesn’t lead us to quit, it can certainly lead us to diminished enthusiasm and complacency.

Ministry can be hard. Now that’s a revolutionary and profound statement isn’t it. We all know that. Or do we? I’m afraid that we all too easily forget that this is the case and that we should actually expect it to be the case. That’s the way it was for Jesus. Should we expect any different? Consider His candid assessment of His ministry.

"But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds." Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. (Matthew 11:16-20 ESV)

Was Jesus just being hard on Himself? No. Look how His closest friend described Jesus’ ministry.

He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. (John 1:11 NET)

Jesus was rejected by His brothers and sisters. . . .His hometown . . . His disciples . . . His countrymen . . . . The religious leaders . . . The Romans. He was resisted, rejected, falsely accused by the religious, kicked out of town. Now that’s encouraging isn’t it?

But here’s the important thing for you and me to consider when we are discouraged with ministry. If the sinless, perfect Son of God who did everything exactly right in ministry was resisted, rejected and falsely accused, should we expect anything different? Jesus told us we shouldn’t.


Next: (17) Following Jesus’ Example