If you’ve been involved in ministry for any length of time then you’ve probably been hurt by someone. For some people it might have been something that was easy to get over and move on to the next thing. For others, the hurts were deeper and left scars which limit your ability to trust.
For me, the hurts in ministry were overwhelming. The results created division in the church, in my family and in myself. I was so confused how ministry leaders could turn on each other. In leaving the ministry I had worked so hard to build, I rushed into another worship pastor position for vindication. I needed to prove to myself that I was right. I needed to defend my reputation and show people I had what it took to get the job done. My response was normal, but it was wrong.
Over the last few years, I have come to realize how normal it is to be hurt in ministry. I have come to know dozens of worship guys to have all gone through very hurtful situations in their ministries. It is interesting how worship leaders are impacted so differently by hurts. Some are still in ministry. They seem more thankful for the privilege and call God has given them. Some are no longer in vocational ministry, but they still long to be used by God, looking for opportunities to serve whenever they can. Some are still mending their wounds and asking the questions we’ve all asked after being hurt. Some have taken a huge step into the pleasures of this world while still holding on (by a thread) to the church. These guys are the ones who are the hardest to help. They know all the right words, scriptures, songs, etc, yet they are blinded by their own scars.
It is this last group that has really effected me lately. I have a few friends who were hurt in ministry and reacted by running as far as they could from the church. The results were bad… Infidelity, pride, deception, addiction, etc. They seem to be living out a lifestyle that is directly opposed to the ministry they were serving in. These are people that I’ve looked up to, respected, and supported. How does this happen? I am really not sure. But I know that past ministry hurts, bitterness and unforgiveness have played a role in each of these unfortunate situations.
It has become a good reminder to me that as we go through situations that cause us pain, regardless of the cause, we need to take the time to properly heal, otherwise our hurts can turn to anger and then resentment and then bitterness. Sometime our hurts are the results of our sin while other times they are the results of someone else’s actions.
If you are in a situation where you have been hurt or are hurting. Take the time to get right. Take the time to forgive. Take the time to ask forgiveness. Take the time to heal. And take the time to see what God is teaching about your pain.