Church problems are rarely easy, but they can be extremely helpful. When challenges arise, they provide pastors and church members with an opportunity to pause and examine what is truly happening. It is easy to move forward with great confidence when everything seems to be going well, but that is when we can quietly slip into comfort and routine. What worked last year may not be what God wants to do this year. If we assume yesterday’s successes will automatically carry into tomorrow, we are setting ourselves up for a fall.
The Bible calls us to regular self-examination. Paul told the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). We are not called to drift along in ministry or in our personal walk with the Lord. We are called to walk carefully, seeking God’s will in each season. Problems, as uncomfortable as they are, can help us see where we have become complacent, where we have lost focus, and where we need to return to the essentials of our calling. What a high and holy calling it is!
It is easy to take God’s blessings for granted. You can become accustomed to the fruit of ministry and forget that everything ultimately depends on Him. You can assume that the ministry will continue simply because it has always done so. When problems show up, they can serve as a wake-up call to bring us back to prayer, back to humility, and back to seeking the Lord more deeply. They remind us that this is His church and we need His wisdom.
Problems also have a way of refining your vision. They help you see what is essential and what needs to change. They push you to listen to others and to ask the Lord what He wants to teach you through it all. Proverbs says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17). The challenges you face might be what God uses to sharpen you and to prepare you for what is next.
If your church is facing a problem today, do not rush past it. Do not panic. Take it as an opportunity to seek the Lord afresh and anew. Let Him search your heart. Let Him guide you and your leadership back to a place of dependence on Him. Remember, God is faithful. He will use the challenges you face for His glory and your growth. Stay humble. Keep seeking Him. Let Him lead you every step of the way.
Church problems are rarely easy, but they are always helpful!
I Need Help With My Discouragement
