WHEN THE PASTOR FEELS ABUSED

I have written articles dealing with areas where pastors have tended to abuse or hurt the flock. This article, however, deals with advice to the pastor who feels he has been mistreated or abused by the flock or the body of elders or council of leaders. --- Billy Long

When we face abuse or mistreatment and we do not resolve it properly in the grace of God, it becomes baggage that follows us around. It affects our spirit and clouds our discernment. It causes us to operate in a survivalist mode. Our first priority becomes to protect ourselves rather than taking up our cross. It means the refusal to become vulnerable. It is difficult to lay down our lives to the will of God when our primary or secondary goal is to protect ourselves from potential pain, loss, or suffering.
Here is my advice to the pastor who has been hurt or has lost so much.
SEE GOD AS SOVEREIGN ALMIGHTY GOD.
The primary characters on the stage of your life are you and God. Other people and Satan are secondary. That’s why you must “do business” with God first before you start rebuking or attacking the devil and other people. You have to make sure the slate is really clean between you and God. Paul said that God will “punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor 10:6). HE will deal with others after you have humbled yourself before him and have fulfilled what HE requires of you. This means making sure there are no traces of self-righteousness in your own heart.
Don’t keep telling people how badly you’ve been abused. When analyzing and examining your situation, do not give so much credit and power to the devil or other people. As long as your focus is on your oppressors, you will forever carry them around in your mind and will drain your energy fighting phantoms. It’s a battle you can’t win. As long as you keep seeing yourself as the victim, you will not resolve the past. A victim depends upon his oppressors to bring healing, but they will not. Some people will apologize, some will not. Some may actually be innocent and you yourself are the guilty party. This is why we must forgive, and seriously search our own hearts before the Lord.
We must always remember that God is Sovereign Almighty God, and He is able to fulfill His plan for us. No weapon formed against you can prosper…as long as you please the Lord and walk in His favor. Broken-down walls can be rebuilt if you remove the rubble of the past. This means forgiving, asking forgiveness, trusting the purpose and power of God, and moving forward in faith.

BE IN HUMBLE INTERCESSION AND TEARS FOR THE FLOCK.
It is possible that in your situation many sheep may have been scattered in disillusionment and confusion. Their spiritual growth may have been hindered through apprehension and doubt. One of your primary practices should be to cry out in intercessory prayer for the sheep who may have been injured by seeing you hurt or by being hurt themselves. Pray for them. Pray for them with tears. Pray for those who did not stand with you as well as for those who did stand with you.
ADMIT FAILURE.
Even if it was not your fault. Even if others are guilty and acted immaturely and in the flesh. It is still good to humbly face the fact that you did not have the grace, knowledge, and wisdom to rise about the fray and bring the “plane out of its nose-dive.”
I counseled a minister once who had been traveling to a neighboring city to lead a home gathering. The plan was for him to eventually plant a church through this group. However, a couple of folk became sour and created trouble that shut down the meeting.
My word to this pastor was, “You should humble yourself before the Lord and acknowledge that you failed. However, I must say that I don’t think anyone could have succeeded in that situation.”
It was not his fault. He did all he could. In a similar situation I have fallen on my face before God and cried out for mercy upon me in my failure, even though I knew there was much guilt in those who worked against me.

GIVE IT TO GOD.
Don’t look back at the broken-down monument that was built in the past and is now lost. You must give it to God and do not take it back up. You must press forward in faith, trust in God, and love His people. The prize is before you...not behind you.
Joseph was mistreated from his youth all the way to the throne of Egypt. He saw the hand of God in the process rather than seeing himself as a victim of the people. The apostle Paul referred to himself as a “prisoner of the Lord,” rather than a prisoner of Rome. Joseph and Paul were in God’s hands. For your purpose to be fulfilled, that’s where you need to be. Billy Long

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