Johnhwilburn.com

Last week we held an annual Bible Conference at Baptist Bible College of the Caribbean. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, and fantastic preaching.

There were many reasons why I enjoyed the conference….

but one of the greatest blessings is to remember I’m not alone.

ministry is tough on people! There are temptations, trials, failures, and crisis situations. In those circumstances Satan loves to whisper “your the only one who feels this way”, or “nobody else struggles like this.”

In the beginning It is easy to notice this as a lie

but after you’ve heard it enough times, you start to believe it

And even worse….begin to live that way!

It is my personal belief that the sin of isolation has destroyed the testimonies and ministries of many more Pastor or Missionaries than larger sins.

Even Pastors (being human) struggle.

1. They become weak and run down spiritually, so discouragement starts to creep in.
2. They begin to compromise their standards, ever so slightly
3. That infrequent sin becomes a habitual one
4. They become burned out just going through the motions

In these moments of struggle they have an important decision to make.

Do I confess my struggle to a fellow-pastor and grow with their help? Or do I isolate myself, and deal with the problem on my own?

sadly many men choose to isolate themselves instead of confessing their needs

And it destroys their ministry.

What’s truly sad is there are other Godly men who know the struggles they experience. Men who would encourage, edify, and (when necessary) confront so that those sins and struggles can be conquered.

But they choose isolation.

I am so grateful for the speakers who came to our conference, and the National Pastors as well as leaders in Saint Vincent. Men who remind me that I’m not alone, and when I try to isolate myself, pursue me in love.