Years back, I worked with a minister who was a great man of God. He was inspiring, energetic, and enthusiastic. He was ready to go, go, go. Then there was the other side of things: he wasn’t walking in humility. He didn’t listen well, because he thought he knew everything. Criticism was a sore spot, no matter how gently applied. As many good qualities he had, they weren’t tempered with humility. He thought he was the exception to the rules of ministry.
In a split second, I remembered who he reminded me of: myself, many years ago. I too had to talk over everyone. I didn’t listen, because I thought I was the one who should be heard. Criticism was negatively received, as were counter-viewpoints. I was insistent on my own way, and had no desire to accept leadership or positioning of others in my life. I too believed myself to be the exception to the rule of ministry (while it was in a different way, it was still the same problem).
It can be difficult to work with those in the early years of ministry. These first few years either make or break a minister. If they make one, they find their way through to begin walking in humility. Few enter ministry knowing how hard it can be. It’s not for the weak, nor the faint of heart. It takes discipline, understanding, and a certain level of obedience to come through to the other side. That being said, none of us are exempt from our spiritual boot camp that brings us to a place of walking in humility.
How does ministry process us for humility? It usually follows a few basic steps, which may vary but are often remarkably alike for most ministers.
Receiving a revelation
The call to ministry comes through divine revelation. The method might be different for different people, but God somehow gets our attention to let us know this is where we belong. As our “acceptable service” before God, we find our purpose in our ministry work. Within this revelation is God’s plan for us, and our purpose in His Kingdom. Along with that revelation come specifics of the contents of a ministry’s manifestation. We are often in awe of the plan, but we don’t know how it will happen.
Somewhere in here, it’s not uncommon for a minister to think that we are the plan rather than it as a plan of God. Let’s face it; we often think, at least in the beginning, that we are “really something.” As a result, through these early years of training, we find humility through our work.
Sitting on the revelation
One of the most powerful ways we find to walk in humility is when we have to sit on the revelation God’s given to us. There’s many ways this might come to pass, but often, it’s when we don’t have an outlet for the revelation He’s given to us. Early on, we think God should move us much faster than He often does. It’s beyond us why God doesn’t promote someone with such a grand vision! Why are we still spending time debating with people who aren’t interested in us? We, after all, have a revelation to share!
Listening is an issue because others aren’t listening to us. We think we’re not advancing because we are smarter than everyone else. We refuse to look at our own lousy attitudes and lack of humility. The more we don’t get an outlet, the closer we come to realizing the essence of walking in humility.
Lack of support from those around us
This is a secondary point of how we must sit on our revelation. Early in ministry, all we desire is to be acknowledged by others. We want people to hear what we have to say and agree with us. How ironic is it that God matches us with people who don’t support our vision! We become more difficult, but at the same time, feel more rejected. How can God can give us something so wonderful and nobody recognize how great we are to have it? We learn rejection, we learn isolation, and we learn the price we will have to pay to be different.
Things don’t work out according to plan
When things constantly don’t work out, we must explore why. Ideally, we should, at some point, recognize we need other people. It’s great to have a vision, but God doesn’t give us a vision to isolate us. That might be the result at times, but it’s not the ultimate purpose. God wants us to separate long enough to know where we should seek to belong. When we aren’t supported by one leader, God will connect us with someone who cares enough to support the vision and help us become who we are supposed to be. By walking in humility, we give God the chance to lead us as we find support in our earthly leader. No matter how close we are to giving up, God reveals a greater plan for us.
Growing through personal education
It’s important we take the educational opportunities God sends to us. These may not always be education in a traditional sense, but we must take those efforts to learn in dialogue and learn the things of God. When walking in humility, we learn so much about ourselves, the things of God, and where He has for us to be. Sometimes our educational efforts are self-taught, and others we find through various means (seminary, college, ministry training). Rather than learning to prove ourselves right, we often discover how much of our personal ideas require transformation.
Finding ministerial breakthrough
When we are humbled by our experiences, God brings us to breakthrough. It is slow at first, and constant in unveiling. We come to know better who we are, and who He is. He brings forth revelation in our lives, this time, now through steps and assignments. We are willing to listen to the leaders He sends to us for our learning and edification.
Peter: an example of walking in humility
I think often of the Apostle Peter‘s experiences in ministry. Peter was humbled multiple times in his calling. Coming from a first-century Jewish Zealot position, Peter thought himself better than the Gentiles. He thought he had many things figured out, only to learn he didn’t know as much as he thought. Whether a divine rebuke from Jesus or conflicts with other disciples, Peter had to learn the value of walking in humility throughout his ministry experience.
Paul: the value of walking in humility
The Apostle Paul also received multiple lessons in humility. His teaching on the thorn in the flesh makes us realize we are constantly humbled through what we do. Different people we meet, different circumstances we face, different things we notice, personal battles, pain and suffering, and different spiritual experiences bring humility to our ministries. They remind us we need God more than we need to be puffed up in the concept of being a minister. We cannot be effective in ministry if we rely on ourselves and not on God. We have to be people who learn how to listen and learn how to receive the correction and blessing of good leaders. Surrendering to Kingdom vision means we set ourselves aside, humbled in God, and know it is not our will, but His that matters.
Reflections
When I had the experience I mentioned earlier, I thought all night long about my early years in ministry. I could see how God brought about my own humility. Dealing with rejection, leaders who didn’t understand, and opposition came along to humble me. Through such, I learned I am not “Holy Ghost, Jr.” because I am called to be in ministry.
I remember where I was, and I think about what God has ahead. It reminded me of a quote I once heard: “I have lived many lives, some of which were my own; I am not now that which I once was.” I didn’t start out where I am now, and I am sure I will not be where I am now one day in the future. I recognize that in our process, we need both encouragement and humbling to bring about God’s purpose. A good leader is not about puffing up, but about building us all to be where God has for us to be.
Every one of us starts at humility, and we go up from there. It is the end of the process to destroy the flesh, and the beginning of a whole new life in Christ.
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