God has an escape route plotted out for you. You don’t have to just depend upon your own willpower, which invariably will falter. He knows what you’re going through, and he’s pulling for you to succeed. God is a counselor who shows you a way out of the temptation. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. Paul writes, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. Just like anyone else, we face normal temptations (lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life).īut the verse also reminds us that God provides us with counsel when we face temptation. When you’re tempted, God is your counselor.įirst Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that temptations are common for everyone. It only comes when you know that God is walking with you-and because of that, nothing can shake you. You can’t get that kind of confidence from psychology. His presence gives us the stability we need to say, as David does in Psalm 23:4, “Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way” (TLB). The fact that God is with us changes everything. And God knows how easy it is for us to worry when we’re in the middle of a fire. We all go through “the fire” in ministry-those tough times when we’re overwhelmed by stress. When you’re worried, God is your confidence. God’s promise, “I will never leave you or let you be alone” (Hebrews 13:5 NLV), will bring you joy. You might feel alone right now, but you’re not. The Bible says this in Psalm 16:11, “Your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever” (GNT). If we recognize God’s presence in our lives, he will bring joy in the midst of these struggles. The first time God said “it isn’t good” was when he looked at Adam in Genesis 1 and recognized he was alone.īut God’s Word is filled with good news about our loneliness. But we need to recognize this truth: God doesn’t like to see us lonely. There’s also the loneliness that comes when we’ve moved far away from our extended family to answer God’s call. There’s the loneliness we feel when our marriage is stretched to the limit by the demands of ministry. There’s the kind of loneliness that comes when we’re afraid to open up about our own pain and insecurities. When you’re lonely, God is your companion.Īs pastors, we face different kinds of loneliness. When you recognize that God is with you wherever you go, his presence will help sustain you when you struggle in these four areas. It’s mind boggling for me to think that God never has to go anywhere because he’s already there.īut God’s omnipresence isn’t just a theological construct it has a powerful application to how you, as a pastor, deal with the most difficult experiences of life. Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me” (Psalm 139:7-10 CEV). Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. “Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. But have you internalized how Psalm 139 answers that question? I know you understand the theologically right answer. As a pastor, you likely spend most of your day talking about God, reading about God, and thinking about God.īut if I asked you, “Where is God?” how would you respond?
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