The Hard Work of Trusting

As my friends and family are aware, I am currently participating in a one-year pastoral internship in hopes of being called to ministry in the PCA in the coming year. This internship comes to an end (for better or worse) at the end of June, which is quickly approaching. I've been rather selective in the opportunities I've sought, and naturally that means interviews have not abounded. However, Leslie and I will be out of town this weekend interviewing with a church that is seeking an assistant pastor. We're excited about the trip and looking forward to meeting the men and women of this church. Your prayers for our weekend are appreciated. We pray that in the short time we're together we will gain an honest evaluation of one another.

Seeking a call to ministry is a bit of an odd duck. I'm not looking for a job, and hopefully they aren't looking for a cog. We're looking for a family among and to whom we can minister the grace of the gospel and who will minister it to us. This means that far from being an interrogation in which we seek to give them the answers we think they want, the next few days will (hopefully) be a time of getting to know one another, and asking and answering important questions with integrity. This is only possible if we rest in the knowledge and comfort that our part in this is obedience and integrity, and God will work out his plan for our good. That may mean a calling, and it may not.

But such things are difficult when the realities of financial well-being seem to press in on you. And getting to know someone well is difficult in the time that we have. So please pray that we will rest in God's sovereignty. Pray that we will find great joy in meeting brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of the short-term outcome. And pray that the lesson that I teach on Sunday will be on the mark, not because a call is in the offing, but because I have an opportunity to preach the gospel to the people of God and want to represent Him well.