When athletes sustain physical injuries, they often have to “play hurt.” While they may receive future medical treatment, the immediate demands of the game require their participation.
In a similar way, pastors experiencing emotional pain may have to “preach hurt” before recovering from their emotional injuries. The causes of these injuries take many forms: e.g., criticism from others, fallout from difficult business meetings, or challenging personal or family matters.
Pastors with multiple staff may be able to call upon others to preach during difficult seasons, but many do not have that option. While they would prefer to be in better emotional health before stepping into the pulpit, Sunday will come and they must preach.
Here are four encouraging reminders when those seasons arrive:
- Remember God’s Sovereignty. God is in control. He knows what He’s doing and always does what is right (Genesis 18:25). We may not understand God’s purposes for the challenges we face, but we must remember He is there and is working through our current pain. Because His ways are always good, even this emotional hurt has meaning in the wider scope of God’s providence.
- Remember God’s Grace. It is often during the greater challenges of our ministries that we experience greater provisions of God’s grace. More than once have I sensed God’s unusual presence and power, equipping me to preach when my heart was heavy and I felt I just couldn’t face the congregation. In fact, it was on those very Sundays that God seemed to pour out His grace more abundantly than at other times. I felt a clarity and freedom in my preaching, and many of my listeners seemed more engaged than usual. God’s grace truly is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- Remember to Ask for Help. When suffering on a personal level, it is important to ask for prayer and support. As the writer of Ecclesiastes wisely reminds: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up…” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; NIV). While we most often won’t share our hurts with everyone, we are wise to share them with someone: a caring spouse, a trusted friend, or perhaps another leader in the church. I have found that God nearly always points me to someone who will pray with me, offer counsel, and hold the matter in confidence.
- Remember to Get Rest. We may underestimate the toll emotional pain takes upon our bodies. When Elijah fearfully fled to Horeb, he arrived in a state of total exhaustion. It was not until he had sufficient food, drink, and sleep that he was rested enough for the next ministry challenge (1 Kings 19).
Pastors: what other encouragements would you give for those times we must preach hurt?
Check out Dr. Linn’s website at Preaching Truth.