ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON) PASTOR, AVOID PRIDE

Imagine a man, for instance, being called to the great work of preaching the gospel. He is successful; God helps him; thousands wait at his feet, and multitudes hang upon his lips; as truly as that man is a man, he will tend to be exalted above measure, and too much will he begin to look to himself, and too little to his God. Let men speak who know, and what they know let them speak; and they will say, “It is true, it is most true,”

If God gives us a special mission, we generally begin to take some honor and glory for ourselves. But in the review of the eminent saints of God, have you never observed how God has made them feel that he was God, and beside him there was none else? Poor Paul might have thought himself a god, and been puffed up above measure, because of the greatness of his revelation, had there not been a thorn in the flesh. But Paul could feel that he was not a god, for he had a thorn in the flesh, and gods could not have thorns in the flesh. Sometimes God teaches the minister by denying him help on special occasions.