The Reality of Ministry

“Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.” (Hab 1:3-4 AV)

The wicked who are compassing the righteous in this passage are not the heathen compassing God’s people.  We know this because verse six introduces the Chaldeans as the force that will deal with it all.  The wicked here are the wicked of God’s people.  The list of what the righteous must endure at the hands of the wicked is significant.   Iniquity is another word for sin.  Grievance is anxiety.  Murmuring, complaining and fear.  Spoiling is victimizing others for gain.  Violence is self-explanatory.  And, the wicked seem to enjoy causing strife and contention.  In short, the backslidden and wicked of God’s people is what the prophet is struggling with.  It would be one thing if the world was acting like this.  We would expect it.  But for those who are God’s people to act like the world is extra burdensome for the prophet.  This reality is the unfortunate reality of service to the King.  It is the one reality of ministry which is the cause for the need for ministry, but also the most difficult aspect of ministry.

I have seen good men leave the ministry because of the conditions described above.  They entered all excited with dreams of what the LORD would do.  They envisioned many coming to Christ and growing in the knowledge of the word of God.  Then reality set it.  The piano player has an ongoing feud with the deacon’s wife.  The trustee thinks it’s his job to guard the LORD’s house and finances from every other person in the church.  His priorities are the right ones and any contrary opinion is a wrong one.  Then there are the two families who have never gotten along.  They are constantly spreading lies and gossip about the other.  The preacher thinks to himself, “If only they would all allow the LORD to humble them and worry about their own walk with God, things would be much easier.”  Then there are the occasional spats over contract agreements or work that is done by someone entitled to fair compensation, yet is taken advantage of because he is a fellow believer.  Let’s not even go down the road of iniquity!  Iniquity abounds.  Particularly among those who claim to be saved and should know better.  The preacher is shocked, at first.  The blatant practice of sin, flaunting it in the face of those who desire to walk with God as though their lack of moral values should be tolerated and accepted.  No wonder the preacher quits.

But the fact of the matter is, all the situations listed above are ministry opportunities as well.  Even though the preacher may get overburdened and discouraged from time to time, these situations still need the voice of God and the tender touch of someone who cares.  We can complain all we want about the condition of God’s people, but what are we doing about it?  Are we staying steadfast in preaching the truth with unction, sound reasoning, and compassion?  Things may get better.  They may get worse.  But the Prophet’s solution was to pray for revival.  He didn’t quit.  He didn’t complain.  He didn’t go to preacher’s fellowship and moan on about how hard he has it.  He prayed for his people.  He ministered the word of God for his people.  And he sought the face of the LORD and begged for revival.