06/07/2026
THE FAITHFUL PASTOR: WAITING FOR GOD’S MORNING
By Apostle Gilbert Mwenya
The Call Is a Grace
Being a pastor is a gracious, noble, and trustworthy occupation. It is a gift from above — Ephesians 4:11. God calls men and women into ministry and He qualifies those He calls — 2 Corinthians 3:5-6. This is indeed something special. You did not choose this burden; God chose you.
The Struggle Is Real
However, staying a pastor and serving for a long time without much visible fruit can be painful and frustrating. It is devastating to pastor a church for years without seeing much growth.
Every pastor steps into ministry with expectations. We believe the ministry will blossom quickly. We believe God for breakthrough after breakthrough. So we put in everything: deep prayer, surrendered will, all kinds of fasting, our strength, knowledge, money, and time. We do this because we are certain the church will grow soon.
What we don’t initially understand is that church growth often takes longer than we first think. This is a reality every pastor must accept.
God’s Process Before His Progress
It is not automatic that when you are called, anointed, and gifted, the church will grow rapidly. Sometimes God must break us further to kill pride before success can come — Isaiah 57:15. At other times, God must ground us deeply in Him before major progress in ministry can take place — Colossians 2:7.
God determines how much growth each pastor can handle at a time. You just have to trust Him. He is faithful — 1 Corinthians 10:13.
The Danger of Losing Heart
Because human beings, including pastors, are not privy to what the future holds in ministry, many lose hope after years of struggle. Some grow tired. Others lose focus and drop off. They give up. They close the church. They become bitter toward their members. Some shift their energy toward money-making activities at the expense of the church.
The Hope That Holds Us
But the good news is this: there are those who stay firm, focused, determined, and hopeful, knowing that if they continue in faithfulness, humility, and obedience, God will lift them higher — 1 Peter 5:6.
So, if your church has not been growing, if you are struggling financially, and if your faith is slowly diminishing, wait a minute. God is on your side. Trust Him. He has not given up on you. Psalm 30:5 says, _“Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”_ Your church will grow. Keep doing what is right — Galatians 6:9 _“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”_
Hold on, pastor. Morning is coming.
Shalom,
Apostle Gilbert Mwenya