The Young Minister's Pit

I haven't written in two months, though I have had the desire to type my thoughts. So now I have taken the opportunity to write something that I have been thinking about from time to time, and what I believe I heard from a Paul Washer teaching last year. It's called the Young Minister's Pit. It's the term that I have just coined, but its quite common for young preachers and ministers I believe and I have even seen it in my own life to a certain extent.

Some of us young men can get excited in our preaching or ministering and look critically at how we have spoken or delivered our message. Here are some of the following thoughts, "Did the crowd like it? , Were people moved?, How did I feel about it?, How many people were saved?" etc. These are interesting thoughts I must admit and can be encouraging or discouraging.... but be careful young minister.... that this does not become your motivation for service or your effectiveness or worth. Do not base your spiritual walk or your worth on the results of your ministry or you will have one huge roller coaster ride as you walk with the Lord. One week you'll be clicking your heels, and the next week you'll be dragging them.
Be careful young minister that you do not rest in your accomplishments nor boast in them! Do not stop to build an altar to your success in ministry, but rest in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ! It's all about Him and it is His power and leading that makes a young minister effective. Don't boast in your self, but boast in the Lord. Your walk, ministry, and success is the Lord's and even if you seem to have failed, you are still to keep your trust in the Lord. Failure can be used by God to put into desperation for Him so that we can really rely on Him.

Careful young minister that you do not boast in your success or focus on your failures by living introspectively, but rest in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ!