G. ADDRESSING EMOTIONAL NEEDS

A pastor of 25-plus years sat in his office and was deeply grieved over a report given by an outside consulting agency. The group had come and helped the church do a survey to see what the health of the church was. The survey was deeply revealing of some of the weaknesses of the leadership team and the efforts of the pastor and leadership. This pastor felt deep discouragement and had thoughts of resigning and leaving the church in shame. He felt fear, conflict, and heart pain. He expressed this fear and anxiety to those around him with the question “Are there any scriptures that can help me?” He ran into a passage in the first chapter of Luke 1:68 and following verses 74 and 75. Let’s look at them:

Psalm 63:1-3:

You, God, are my God,  earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. ² I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.³ Because your love is better than life,   my lips will glorify you.

Luke 1:68(NIV):

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.

Luke 1:74(NIV):

 ^“to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear”

Luke 1:75 (NIV):

“in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

1. How do you think these verses helped the leader?

2. When we are serving the Lord, how can we serve Him without fear?

3. What can a servant of God do to set the stage in their minds to experience ministry without fear?

The next step in his journey of dealing with the fear of failure was to read Psalm 62:1-8.

Psalm 62:1-8:

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. ² Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. ³ How long will you assault me?    Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence? ⁴ Surely, they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths, they bless, but in their hearts, they curse. ⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. ⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. ⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. ⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

1. How do you think this passage helped this pastor in his fear of failure?

2. What fears of failure are you facing?

3. How can you use this passage to strengthen you and deal with your fears?

4. What steps can you take to overcome fear?