"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other." 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.Our pastors have an awesome responsibility. Not only are they responsible for their own spiritual walk, they are responsible to God for leading us as well. Being a pastor or other church staff member can be a double-edged sword. One minute it can be one of the most uplifting, fulfilling callings, and in the next moment, it can turn into the most devastating, doubt-inducing pits you can imagine.
Ministers are people, too. They are
people first. They are human just like the rest of us, with all of
the flaws and ugly spots that the rest of us have. They are more
aware than any of us what those flaws are and rarely need for us to
point them out! What they need is for us to lift them up. We need to
pray for them – specific prayers when we can – and we need to let
them know we are praying for them.
What can we pray?
- That they will trust God and acknowledge him in all ways – Prov. 3:4-6
- That they will not have a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind - 1 Timothy 1:7
- That they will seek God first in all things – Matt. 6:33
- That they will trust God for the words to say in every situation – Matt 10:19
- That they will hunger and thirst for God – Psalm 42:1-2; Matt 5:6
- That they will know God’s visions for us – Proverbs 29:18
- That they will have unity in their vision for our church – Rom 15:5
- That they will have times of rest and restoration – Psalm 23:1-3; Matt 11:28-30
- That they will find comfort when it is needed – Psalm 119:76; 2 Cor 1:3-5
- That they will have joy – Nehemiah 8:10
- That they will stand firm in the faith, protected by the armor of God – Eph 6:10-18
- That they will know peace – Col 3:15
- That God will meet all their needs – Isaiah 58:11; Phil 4:19
There are so many other scriptures that
we can pray over our pastors and spiritual leaders. Choose one or two of these scriptures to
incorporate into your prayers for them. Pray them out loud. There
is power in the spoken word.
Sometime today, take time to write a
note to them, thanking them for their service and letting them
know that they are loved and appreciated and are being lifted up in
prayer. Pray that God will show you how to love them and support
them, then be sure to follow through.
Leave a comment: How do you show appreciation and support to your spiritual leaders?
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