Rejection

 

Pastors and their wives fight rejection.  I don’t know any pastor who thinks he’s perfect—he’s usually the first to admit he’s fallible.  And as much as a pastor speaks, he’s going to say something wrong.  Even Paul “corrected” himself in his later writings.  I believe he progressively came to see his complete humanity and then came to the conclusion that he was chief among sinners.  

There’s probably no person who is dissected more than a pastor.  As discontent reaches the pastor’s ears (because it always does), it’s hard not to examine every word he’s spoken and he can easily fall into despair.  

Here’s the thing...if the pastor has sinned, he needs to confess it and be the leader of repentance.  But if, after allowing the Holy Spirit to examine his heart, he’s spoken the truth and someone is offended by the truth, he needs to realize those people aren’t rejecting him but God.  At that point, he needs to be confident in truth.  

I don’t know about you, but when my pastor-husband is attacked, my flesh is activated.  I want to go confront someone!  But actually, it’s a good time to allow God to examine my own heart.  It’s a time to bless and pray for those who are attacking.  It’s a time for some holy transformation.  

God allows these things to grow us and mature us. (James 1).  Submit to what God is doing and resist the destruction the enemy wants to bring into your lives and the life of your church.  There’s no better time than this to offer a sacrifice of praise!  Praise is truly a sacrifice when you’re under fire.  

“But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.”

Isaiah 54:17. AMP