A Pastor’s Heart

A Pastor’s Heart

Have you ever considered your pastor’s heart? What makes him tick? Why does he do the things he does? Why is he in the pulpit, the hospital room, the funeral home, and the hospice? Who are his friends? Who is his confidante? Is he happy, sad, burdened, or discouraged? Does he have someone walking with him along the way, or is he lonely?

Paul spoke of the daily care he had for the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28). Care here speaks of great concern, even an anxious concern. Often your pastor feels pain for you and with you, though you may not even be aware. Often he prays for you as he goes about his daily tasks, or he even is up late into the night pleading with God for you.

Your pastor may be younger than you are, yet he is still your elder in position, and should be your elder in the respect you show him. He certainly feels that way toward you. He considers you as precious children, entrusted to him by God; and he determines to be gentle and to cherish you (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8), and greatly longs to be able to help you. Even when he must speak to you firmly and sternly about your sin, he seeks to be meek and gentle like Christ (2 Corinthians 10:1-6). He desires only to help you and build you up.

Your pastor longs to lead you and feed you, because you are Christ’s sheep, and Jesus has called him to the difficult task of providing you with the nourishment, guidance, and discipline necessary for your spiritual well being (1 Peter 5:1-4). Studying God’s Word in order to preach and teach multiple sermons each week is a daunting task, yet your pastor takes pleasure in doing so that he might help you follow Jesus.

Sometimes, no matter how hard he tries, there are those who refuse to yield to his guidance; yet his love and pity for the erring sheep only increases as he spends himself seeking to be a blessing (2 Corinthians 12:15). Often this shepherd’s love for the sheep is not given to him in return. At times your pastor’s heart yearns for you, because he is fearful regarding your precarious spiritual position (Galatians 4:19), and his heart is in great distress for your sake. Sadly, in the midst of this, some view him as their enemy and treat him as such (Galatians 4:16). This causes your pastor pain today, and may cause him to weep over the wayward even at the judgment (Hebrews 13:17).

Your pastor often leads quite the lonely life behind the scenes, as he bears the burden of teaching and guiding some who have little to no desire to truly learn and grow. How can you help him? Become like those whom Paul described as being addicted to serving Christ and others (1 Corinthians 16:15). Become a true yoke fellow who labors alongside your pastor (Philippians 4:3). Be as Philemon, whose life and labors were refreshing to others (Philemon 1:7). Follow your pastor, submit to his leadership, obey his Biblical teaching and guidance, so that he can rejoice over you at the judgment (Hebrews 13:7,8,17).

What is a pastor’s heart? A pastor’s heart is one that is full of the love Jesus, spilling over to Christ’s sheep in teaching leading, correcting, weeping, rejoicing, and seeking to be a blessing. In short, your pastor’s heart is a heart for Jesus that moves him to have a heart for you. “For the love of Christ constraineth us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14)