When my husband answered God’s call to ministry, I inherited a position of leadership through marriage. As a result, I’ve spent the last twenty years investigating the responsibilities of a pastor’s wife, and guess what? They are no more or any less than the responsibilities of every child of God.
All believers are called to be ready in season and out of season to reprove, rebuke and exhort with complete patience and teaching (2 Tim 4:2). We speak truth even when it is hard, unwelcome, and inconvenient. But did you notice how? With great patience and careful instruction. We respectfully speak truth to those resistant to sound teaching, to those who would rather accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions (2 Tim 4:3). We patiently and consistently preach the gospel with full confidence in our God.
To speak with such certainty, we must become competent in handling the Word of God. But, too often, the demands of ministry, motherhood, and life in general crowd out personal study time. We sometimes let the busyness of housework, office work, hobbies, or leisure consume hours meant for the Lord until all we have left for Him is a 30-second drive thru devotional.
Until we believe that deep intimacy with God matters, until we desire to know God and love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, we will fail to prioritize significant time in His Word, prayer, and study. We are starving our souls of the nourishment they require to grow, thrive, and disciple others.
Confidence comes from one place—the Word of God. The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart, and the heart loves and finds assurance in what the mind knows. Do you know the Word? Is it in your heart, written on the doorposts of your home, and on your gates? Do you meditate on it day and night? Do you delight in its commands?
To walk in this obedience, we need to learn to study, trust, and pray the word of God at a depth that requires an investment of time, emotion, and passion… God isn’t satisfied with child-like faith dependent on spiritual milk. He wants us to chew and digest the harder portions of His Word. He wants us to feed on His Word. He wants us to come to the end of self so He can become everything” ~ Glorious Surrender.
Time to Respond
Dear sister, have you considered the weight of your calling? Have you shown yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about you (Titus 2:7-8)? Have you done your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Tim 2:15)? Pause the busy and seek the Lord. Before He called you to go, He called you to come to Him and seek rest for your weary soul.
Well stated Stacey. I pray that this message will get through to our hearts and not stay in our heads.
I echo that prayer, Ruth!