by Pastor Patrick Cho

Pastors struggle, too. For some, this may be difficult to understand because they consider that it is the pastor’s job to be in God’s Word. It’s part of pastoral ministry to be praying for people and showing godly kindness to them. Even though these things are true, the pastor can struggle spiritually. There have been times when on the way to Bible study I didn’t feel like teaching. There are times when I don’t feel like opening up God’s Word. There are times when I am not in the mood to counsel others or pray for them.

Pastors are not impervious to spiritual sluggishness. That really is what it boils down to. We can be lazy, too. Oftentimes, it seems like the hardest thing to do is to crack my Bible open to have my daily reading. There are seasons when I am really inconsistent in my times with the Lord. And really, if I’m honest, it comes down to a lack of discipline in my life. I’d rather do the things that I want to do rather than doing the things I know I need to do.

It’s times like this when I’m tempted to think up clever schemes to get myself back on track. I’ll go out and buy a new journal (I can’t tell you how many journals I’ve started and never completed!) or start a jogging routine because I seem to do better spiritually when I’m more disciplined physically (you can imagine how long that lasts!).

The truth is that clever schemes aren’t the solution for spiritual sluggishness. What is necessary is repentance. I need to be honest with God and confess that laziness is ultimately a sin against Him. I need to ask His forgiveness and direct my life towards Him. This requires that I turn from my sin, and that requires discipline. It isn’t about coming up with clever schemes. It’s about getting back to basics.

First, I need to make time for God’s Word. I say “make time” because finding time doesn’t always work. I am resigned to the fact that I will always be busy. It’s not very hard to fill my day with stuff, but it’s amazing how busyness doesn’t always amount to productivity. In order to be disciplined with God’s Word, I simply need to carve out time in my day and stay committed to it. Certainly, this assumes that I am not just in it, but prayerfully in it. Devotionally in it. Joyfully in it. That takes time. I need to pray that God would bless me through what I read. I need to pray like the Psalmist that God would open my eyes to see wonderful things in His law. With time and patience, God will make time in His Word sweet.

There is a woman I know in Argentina who spends time in God’s Word each morning. Her son says that she weeps over the pages as she considers what the Lord is teaching her. This sort of devotion does not come overnight. It comes from putting in the time to go deeper and deeper in one’s relationship with Him. It comes from coming to the Word over and over as if it is the food you eat and the water you drink, understanding that without it you would die. It requires that you allow God’s Word to fill your heart and mind.

Second, I need to pray. Prayer gives me the opportunity to express thankfulness to God and gets my heart in a worshipful state. It also puts me in the right position of depending on the Lord instead of on myself. When I don’t pray, it becomes easier and easier to fall into the error of thinking that prayer doesn’t accomplish much. But when my life is full of prayer, I experience how God hears, answers, and honors my prayers.

OK, this entry is starting to get kind of long, so I’ll end here and pick up next time.