Finishing the race well
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:17)
Forty years ago, I was at the starting line of pastoral ministry. During that season, I attended one of my first pastors’ conferences and I was eager to learn and grow. One of the speakers, who had been in ministry for 40 years, was asked about the key to his longevity. He simply said, “Keep showing up” – and that phrase has stuck with me ever since. At that time, the finish line was the furthest thing from my mind and his advice sounded so simple! I have since learned that there is nothing simple about it. Pastoral ministry is hard work because it is heart work.
I didn’t plan to become a pastor. I had a career that I enjoyed and was content to serve in my local church. That was until my wife, Beth, and I both sensed a strong call from God to plant a church in a new city. This year marks the 40th year since we planted that church, and we had the honour of leading for just over 35 years. To say that we just “kept showing up” the last 40 years would not be enough to explain all that was behind those words the pastor shared with us many years ago. When we started out, we were full of excitement but also naive about what lay ahead.
There were many challenges over the years. Things that we did not expect brought disappointment, discouragement, and lots of pain. Those were the circumstances of life and ministry that no one could have possibly prepared us for – and are the very things that cause many to quit.
A wise psychologist friend of ours, Dr. John Walker from Blessing Ranch, once told us that life is good, but life is hard. He went on to say, “Most pastors do not fail because they do not love God or know their Bible, but because they forget their humanity.” In a marathon, the best runners are aware of their human tendencies – to get tired and weak; to be tempted to give up – so they come prepared with the strategies they need in order to endure until the finish line.
Here are three key principles that I believe have helped us to run our race with endurance:
1. Keep Jesus first
It seems so simple, but it is far harder than we think. It requires intention and daily time with God through his word to keep us on track. If we are seeking him first, then we will not put our own will and desires before his. Knowing that his presence is always with us continues to give us hope, even when we go through desert experiences in life and ministry.
After years of leading, I often wondered what we had accomplished and I had to settle the fact that when we started ministry it was for Jesus, and that it will always be for him. He is the one who builds his Church, and he uses imperfect people because that is all that he has. The results are left with him.
2. Never do life alone
We always believed that we could not do ministry well on our own. I heard someone say the other day that “listening to wrong voices leads to making the wrong choices.” I was blessed to have two leaders in my life for over 30 years that spoke into my life. One was and still is my pastor and the other man that I called my character mentor was willing to ask me tough questions. They were faithful voices that helped us to maneuver many of the things that cause people to give up or fail.
We need mentors and peers who understand our world, who have had similar experiences and have experienced the faithfulness of God. They can act as lightning rods – a place for us to download our emotions when we are going through hard times. Relationships that are outside of our ministry world that allow us to simply be ourselves can be invaluable in offering ongoing support and encouragement.
3. Spiritual disciplines matter
Through spiritual disciplines we nurture our relationship with the Lord. These are essential for us to be able to stay healthy and finish ministry well. Disciplines like prayer, reading the Word, worship, incorporating rest in our routines, practicing sabbath, time for reflection, and making time to fill our emotional tank with things we enjoy – all these help us stay the course and find joy in the ministry God has called us to. We need to keep our hearts both big and soft towards others by walking in love and forgiveness, in spite of the pain and disappointments of life. We cannot care for others without caring for ourselves as well.
A few years ago, I heard this statement that has helped me, “Never judge your past by what you know now.” What matters now are the choices I make that lead me into the next season because God uses everything that we go through – the good, the bad and the ugly things of life – to help others.
These words from Paul in Acts 20:24, challenge me to remain dependent upon Jesus and faithful to his call on my life: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
It is our honour and joy to be serving ministry leaders in this season of life to encourage and strengthen them, so that we can all remain healthy and fruitful in our ministries.
Steve Fleming and his wife, Beth, are the program directors at our Ontario Kerith Retreats location. For more information about our retreats, visit KerithRetreats.ca.