A young pastor went to meet a senior pastor for financial assistance. He explained that they needed money to pay their church rent. He was really under pressure. By the time the senior pastor explained what they were equally faced with in the ministry, he had to calm down. He realized everyone was facing one form of pressure or the other.
Friend, pressure is a normal part of life. It is proof of productivity (Luke 5:1). As your life advances, you will always be faced with one form of pressure or the other. While singles are faced with the pressure of having not married, the married are faced with the demands of marriage. When the employee complains about his job, the MD/CEO also has his fair share of pressures.
Church members who think that pastors have nothing bothering them are greatly mistaken (1 Thessalonians 5:25, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). There is the pressure that a local government chairman faces. There is also a bigger pressure that the president of the country is faced with. The bigger the head, the bigger the headache.
For every new level, there are new pressures. There is the pressure of lack, and there is the pressure of abundance. There is the pressure of joblessness, and there are also the demands of work. There is the pressure of lack of growth, and there is also the bigger pressure of growth and success (Luke 5:4-7, Acts 6:1-4).
Learn to manage your pressures by understanding that pressure is normal and common to all men at all levels; rich or poor, small or great, spiritual or unspiritual. Also, knowing that pressure is proof of productivity will help you to face it with the right attitude. Rather than complaining or coming under it, you would leverage God’s grace to overcome it (Psalms 61:2).
Learn to grow beyond your pressures (Genesis 27:40). Mountains don’t grow. But you have the capacity to grow (Psalms 18:29). Grow in emotional maturity and balance. Grow in capacity. Grow in your ability to handle people and tasks. Sometimes, your financial pressure is calling for growth in financial management (Ecclesiastes 10:10, 15).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria