MIN-430 Topic 8 - DQ1 - Nervousness in the Ministry

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School

Grand Canyon University *

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Course

430

Subject

Religion

Date

Oct 30, 2023

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docx

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Uploaded by papaoso

MIN-430 Topic 8 – DQ 1 October 10, 2023 Professor and Classmates, Psalm 2:11 states, “Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11). The Bible uses reverence and fear interchangeably. To revere God is to fear Him in the fullest sense of the word. To fear God is to have a wholesome dread of ever displeasing the Lord. That implies our love for Him, as well as our awe of Him. When we think of fear, something scary or frightening comes to mind, such as being stranded in a crime-infested neighborhood or having a deer jump in front of your speeding vehicle. That type of fear is defined as an emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger. Conversely, reverence (reverent fear) is an emotion expressly reserved for God, accompanied by an act of worship (prostrating oneself either spiritually or physically). In the Bible, reverence is intense, worshipful, awed respect. God is the only One Who deserves such acclaim—such respect and worship. Reverence then is godly fear and is used as both a verb and a noun. We reverence Him and hold Him in reverence (Leviticus 19:30, Hebrews 12:28). In many instances, the word fear is used interchangeably with revere or reverence (Job 4:6). ( www.biblestudytools ) As ministry leaders we will be challenged by everyone. Depression and anxiety are real challenges for many people; pastors are no different. Pastors are ordinary people just like the person in the pew next to you, yet pastors can struggle in ways that are unique to their vocation. The writer of Hebrews pens the reality of this work when saying “...Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God” (Hebrews 13:17), so the pressure is real, and God is aware of these situations. Pastors are called to bear the weight of watching over the souls of our congregations. watching over souls can make one weary. In fact, the word that the writer uses for watch over literally means “without sleep.” That means when a pastor is following their calling, they can become weary because there is no such thing as a part- time or full-time pastor. There are no office hours. Watching over souls is serious business, and as the writer suggests, we are accountable to God. Pastors learn from their experiences and struggles as they take it to the Lord in prayer. I have learned that life is a series of problem-solving opportunities, and they will either defeat me or develop me - depending on how I respond to them. This is one way to handle them; “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” (James1:2-3). Pastor Eli The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. (2016). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/English-Standard-Version-ESV-Bible/#copy (Original work published 2001)

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