For His Glory

Every preacher I’ve ever known has endured some challenges in his ministry. At times these struggles can become debilitating. Whether it’s a major health issue, the loss of a spouse or a child, financial concerns, or even spiritual struggles, it is very real to the one dealing with it. 

If we are not careful, we can find ourselves wondering, “why is God allowing me to go through this?” We might even begin to compare our struggles with others. The worst-case scenario is when we develop the “Elijah Complex,” and we find ourselves pulling away from God.

Some preachers deflect their struggles and blame them on someone else. We can find ourselves making statements such as, “this happened to me because I have bad elders,” “my wife isn’t what she should be,” or “someone is out to get me.”

It is possible that whatever we are dealing with at the moment may not be about us at all. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but it often is true.

What if God is allowing us to suffer not because we are being punished, not because He is trying to get our attention, or not because God wants to use us as an example? It could be any of these, but it might be something more basic.

What if the current crisis in your life, or mine, is allowed so that God might be glorified. Our reaction and how we handle the struggles in our lives can be used for the glory of God.

If we believe that our purpose in this life is to glorify Him, it may help us during the most trying moments in our lives to focus more on Him than on ourselves.