Three Reflections on Losing My Ministry

I've written a lot about losing my position as youth pastor. Here are a few of the lessons that I have learned after going through this situation.

• It is more painful than you can imagine. Losing a youth ministry position is not like losing a regular job. If you are doing it right, you will pour your heart, soul, and tears into youth ministry. You will have spent hours upon hours praying for your students and their families, begging God to do mighty things in their lives. When that is taken away from you, it is like a big part of you is taken away. There is no other way to describe it than to say it sucks.
• You will learn who your true friends are. While I am sure that many people are shying away because they are not certain of what to say, going through a situation like this will show you who your true friends are. I have received a number of text messages, emails, and Facebook messages from people letting me know that they love me and support me. Sadly, a number of folks who said they loved and supported me have been nowhere to be found. Again, I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but it still hurts.
• You have to believe that God meant this for good. I don't believe in coincidences. One of my favorite verses is Acts 17:26. That verse talks about God defining our days, even down to the places we will live. Nothing happens by chance. It is somewhat humorous that the last lesson I did in Children's Church was on Joseph and how all of the bad things that he went through, God meant it for good. I am trusting that the same thing is happening here. I have had conversations with individuals that never would have taken place if I had not lost my position. There are plans being prayed over that never would have been dreamed up if this had not happened. God means everything for good.

There is much more that I could write about, but I am really ready to put this incident behind me. I know that I will never completely have it behind me and that the scars from this will last for some time. That being said, I believe that God is completely in control and I am excited to see what is coming next.