One of our pastor colleagues recently declared: “I’m the happiest pastor in the Presbytery.” Deep trust in God has made this pastor “the happiest.”
It reminds me of my favorite Bible verses:
Happy are those who trust in the Lord,
who rely on the Lord.
They will be like trees planted by the streams,
whose roots reach down to the water.
They won’t fear drought when it comes;
their leaves will remain green.
They won’t be stressed in the time of drought
or fail to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17-7-8
Imagine trusting God even when half the congregation leaves over changes in the church. Imagine trusting God even when the top three financial donors move to Florida. Imagine trusting God even when young church members pass away.
It’s not that we aren’t disappointed or sad. It’s just that we have hope in spite of some hard blows to the community. These are among the everyday challenges that can threaten us.
My happy colleague reminds me that unbending trust in God brings peace even in difficult days.
The happiest pastor is not paid the most or preaching to the largest congregation. The happiest pastor is the one who goes through each day trusting that God has already saved us and will continue to save us in unexpected ways. This happy pastor leads one of the most refreshingly faithful congregations around. And faithfulness has resulted in deep joy.
Imagine all our pastors vying for who is the happiest. That would be amazing and it would turn the world around.
A Church for Starving Artists 