Hi Jay,
I have been a part of this church for about 9 years. In our ministry, we do a lot of revivals and outreach services. We are a close knit small ministry of about maybe 15 or so people. One day we had a special service and we had to be at the church early to prepare food for afterwards. I walk in and hear a couple of the ministers and the associate pastor literally dogging me out. I was hurt but I didn’t say anything. Eventually I told the pastor, we had a meeting. They denied it all even though I heard them. I was made out to be a person causing division. It was my word against theirs, so there wasn’t much pastor could do. Now things are awkward. I am thinking about leaving. What should I do?
-Stabbed in the Back
Hi Stabbed in the Back,
I have been in your shoes before on a few occasions as it concerns parishioners of the church and how they can treat you. My greatest lesson was that any assignment I have is one given to me by God. I believe that we should stay in our assignments until God has released us. You did not say what religion you are in but I would like to share a scripture story with you that could offer some perspective. First let me say that I think you responded well by not confronting the culprits. You displayed self-control and tact. You also displayed one of the key points that I would like to show you from this story. Beginning in John 13:27, Jesus is telling the disciple that someone will betray Him. The verses says that Jesus was “troubled in His spirit”. I understand that to mean that it was at that instant that Jesus discerned the truth that one of the disciples would betray Him and it bothered Him. What I gathered from that is that sometimes we will discover things that upset us and bother us but we must still remain calm in order to see the purpose through. Immediately after Jesus was troubled in His Spirit, He began to announce that someone would betray Him and He further called out who it was and then he told him to go and do what he must do. What character he had to have to be able to respond in such a way?
I see this type of character in how you described how you handled this situation. This troubled you but you remained faithful to your position. You should be proud of yourself for displaying the true nature of ministry despite the inherent evil being in your midst. The pastor may have stated there is nothing he can do and that may have left you to feel like there was nothing that you can do. Let me remind you that there is something that you can do. When people do you this way, pray for them. We are to pray for those who spitefully misuse us. Pray for those people that present themselves to you as your enemies. My testimony is that no one can pay back the way God can pay back. When your ways pleases God, he will cause even your enemies to be at peace with you. (Proverbs 16:7) Watch and look for this peace. These people will act funny at first with you but eventually you will find them being nice to you for no reason at all. You must over come hate with love. (Romans 12:21) If they are talking about you then there is something about your life that is either a threat to them or something they just do not quite understand. Take that as a sign that God has great things in you. Some people are not able to perceive this greatness, yet they know there is something there. When they cannot perceive it, they find ways to talk about you to pacify their curiosity.
Take time to pray to God on what to do. If it is your time to leave, He will show you. I encourage you to stay in position until God releases you. Do not let the words of a couple cause you to forfeit what God has for you. I leave you with another scripture, Romans 12:9. Do not take revenge but allow God to be faithful in his Word for he says “Vengeance is mine, I will repay”
