One of the most common questions is, “What is God’s will for my life?” Well, I can’t answer the specifics of what God’s exact will for your life is, but 1 Thessalonians 5 gives us very specific guidance as to what God’s will is. So for the next little while I would like to break that down. This is some pretty important stuff.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”
The pastor of the church I attended when I lived in Montana runs a ministry to ministers. He has seen so many pastors who are just burned out. Ministry (whether paid or volunteered) is an overtime job. Most paid ministers receive 3-5% of what their marketable skills are worth in a comparable secular field. Think of all the people they minister to on a daily basis. A pastor’s job does not start at Sunday morning and end Sunday afternoon. That’s just a small portion. Pastors are involved in community development, the spiritual development of their congregation, counseling, etc… And the pastor is just one part of the five fold ministry (Ephesians 10:11-12). Even a Sunday School teacher can quickly become overwhelmed.
Those in leadership need a solid support, people that lift them up in prayer. When the Israelites were battling Amalek, Moses held up his hands and the Israelites were winning the battle, but Moses grew tired and lowered his hands and the Israelites were getting beat. So Aaron and Hur held Moses’ hands up and supported them with stones. It’s a picture of how we need to hold up the ministers in prayer. They do so much work and most ask for so little. No wonder we are told to respect those who labor among us and those who are over us in leadership.
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