Moving On

He didn’t feel supported or cared for and was considering resigning from his position.

Matthew 27:1-10

Reference: v.4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” (TNIV Bible)

Explore: A little while ago I caught up with a friend in ministry. He was overseeing the youth ministry at his church and had done a great job at creating a positive culture for the young people to explore their faith.

Our discussion soon got onto the leadership of the church and how he was really struggling with some of the decisions they were making. He didn’t feel supported or cared for by the leadership, and was considering resigning from his position.

While I could appreciate where my friend was coming from, I was quick to caution him from moving on too quickly.

When a minister moves on from a ministry position it can be quite painful for a church, however, the leadership needs to move on and find someone else to fill their place. Churches and organisations do move on, they have to for survival and further growth.

The problem when someone leaves a church in a bad way is that the organisation moves on and yet the minister is left with all the negative, hurtful feelings. I forewarned my friend that if he were to leave the church over these fairly minor issues, then the church would move on and he would be left feeling neglected and wronged.

Application: After Judas betrayed Jesus he was suddenly racked with guilt. He no longer wanted the money that the priests and elders had paid him so he went to take it back.

However, the leaders of the church had moved on already. Judas was only a small part in the bigger plan and as soon as they had used him, they turned their backs on him.

While they moved on, Judas was left feeling so guilty and wrong that he took his own life. The crazy thing is that the only one who could have truly forgiven Judas was the very person he had betrayed.

There are times in our lives when we feel left out to dry. People are often harsh, selfish and cruel towards us. However, Jesus never leaves us. He went to the cross so that we could have a close relationship with God. So that, whenever we feel rejected by the world, we know that we have our Saviour there with us.

Prayer: Lord, May we always come to seek acceptance from You and not from the world. Amen.

When have you felt truly alone and hung out to dry?

forgiveness, hurt, Judas, Matthew, rejected