We all need affirmation and it feels good when other churches express an interest in us. The lived reality of pastoring a church has plenty of ups and downs. The promise of a new situation can look very enticing because the everyday reality is missing and the description of the new situation can look very attractractive in comparison to the lived reality. It can feed our narcissistic tendencies.
Let’s be honest. All of us have some level of narcissism. The very tendency to want to appear good and be appreciated is part of what encourages us to work hard. The problem comes when we allow these tendencies to distort our decision making. When another church expresses interest in us, how do we discern if this is God’s call or just our need to boost our ego.
As a beginning, we need to ask ourselves what our understanding of God’s call to our present situation. Make a few sentences that describe what you think God was calling you to do.
Then do the same thing for your prospective call. What is your understanding of God’s call in this new situation. By comparing both situations from the perspective of your understanding of God’s call it may help you to begin to separate out from just following your ego.
As you do so, keep in mind that sometimes God calls us to difficult situations and not all calls are comfortable. At the same time, it is not wrong to want to improve your situation and utilize your gifts in a new context. What we are listening for is to discern where we can sense we are most in harmony with and find satisfaction in God’s call in our lives.
