A tradition around many tables this Thanksgiving includes each person sharing a thing or two they’re thankful for during the past year. It’s been fun to watch the development of this tradition around the Opalewski Thanksgiving table. When the boys were young, it went something like this: “I’m thankful for my Tonka truck.” “I’m thankful for my Ninja Turtle action figures.” “I’m thankful we don’t have school today!” You get the picture. As the boys have matured, so has their giving of thanks. Now they express thanks for relationships, good health, their job, Jesus, etc.
This year Thanksgiving has taken on a different twist for me. I’m serving in a part-time capacity giving oversight to a new campus our church launched in September. I’ve been freshly reminded that pastoring has its share of joys and sorrows. Blessings and burdens. Human nature tends to take a pastor’s thoughts down the sorrows and burdens path. And the devil often piles on our negative thinking with his lies. And if we’re not careful, we forget the incredible joys and blessings accompanying the role.
Here are 4 things this pastor is thankful for during Thanksgiving 2016:
The privilege to influence
One of the most fulfilling adventures in life is getting the chance to positively influence people. Watching them surrender their heart to Jesus; grow in their walk with God, develop in their marriage and parenting. It’s wonderful to see my friends use their God-given talent to serve others. It’s a blast to share the joy of their career taking off, or when they transition to a new role which suits their gifting and passion perfectly. I’m thankful to play a small part in God’s grand game-plan for another person’s life.
The privilege to intercede
It’s an honor to be trusted with praying regularly for those we lead. To walk alongside them through difficult situations—squirrelly teenagers, health scares, relational struggles, difficult pregnancies, knee surgeries, etc. I’m thankful to be invited into the lives of those I lead, and to be able to call on a God Who cares for them much more than I do, and Who stands ready, willing, and able to help them in their hour of deepest need.
The privilege to initiate
It’s fun to dream big for God with people. To initiate vision and figure out the corresponding strategy. To see an ambitious plan come to pass. To win together for God. And to laugh with each other along the way. I’m thankful to walk alongside brothers and sisters in Christ who care about what He cares about. The camaraderie and sense of team accomplishment is one of life’s great joys.
The privilege to invest
I know some leaders cringe at the phrase “investing in people.” I guess what I mean by investing is having coffee with a young Christian dad who’s figuring out faith and fatherhood at the same time. Pouring time and energy into leaders who want to grow their confidence and skillset. Investing means challenging ministry team leaders to enlarge their teams. Investing means modeling for people a healthy work/rest rhythm that will serve them well, not only in their church roles, but in every role they carry in life. I’m thankful for the privilege of adding value to a great group of fellow Jesus-followers.
Influence. Intercession. Initiation. Investment. I have so much to be thankful for as a pastor. If you’re leading a church or ministry, can I encourage you to spend more time thanking God for the joys and blessings of leading than you do complaining about the sorrows and burdens? If you do, I suspect you’ll enjoy pastoring more. That you’ll stick around longer. That intentionally consistent gratitude will put steel in your spine so that when the inevitable sorrows and burdens come, you’ll handle them better. Let’s concentrate on giving thanks for all of the wonderful privileges we leaders get to enjoy.
Happy Thanksgiving pastors! I’m rooting and praying for you!
-Dear Pastor John, Thank you for allowing God to use you to bless many people! we were blessed to have you in our lives. May God bless and continue to show His love through you. He does keep His promises. Love Jack, Janet