The Loneliness of Pastoring, Part 1

March 02, 2011 by Mark Roberts

Continued from Page 1

I can only imagine how alone Jesus must have felt. Notice that the scriptures never indicate that Jesus was wrong to desire the company of friends. I've never heard anyone say of Jesus what some might say of a parish pastor: "He was too dependent on others. He should have been able to rely more on God." No, as the Good Shepherd, Jesus entered into a loneliness that culminated in the isolation of the cross. That was a part of the ministry to which he was called. And so it is for those of us who seek to feed his sheep even today.

If you feel alone as a pastor, you should know that you're not alone in your loneliness. Thousands of other pastors know what you are feeling. And the Great Pastor understands you in full (Heb. 2:14-18, 13:20).

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3/2/2011 5:00:00 AM

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About Mark Roberts

Mark D. Roberts is Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a retreat and renewal ministry in Texas. He blogs at Patheos and writes daily devotionals at www.thehighcalling.org, and he can also be followed through Twitter and Facebook.

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