God gives grace for what is, not what if. His grace is abundant in real-time challenges, but if we ask Him for comfort and assurance for what might happen, we may be disappointed. We can choose to imagine possible futures that feed either fear and insecurity or a false sense of control, but we should not expect the consolations of God’s grace to comfort and assure us in the face of these what-ifs.

More than a few times I have asked the Lord, “Why would You give me an imagination, and then ask me not to worry?”

The imagination is an amazing gift. This fountain of creativity is one of the clearest ways we reflect the image of our Creator. When I submit my imagination to the cleansing and redeeming work of God’s Word and Spirit, it fuels vision and hope that come to life as I walk in faithfulness.

The unredeemed imagination, however, has just the opposite effect. Bent by fallen human nature, the imagination not surrendered to the glory of God becomes an engine of self-will and fear that drives us away from the life and ministry God designed for us.

We’ll leave a discussion of the predatory power of pornography on the unredeemed imagination for another time. For now, let’s look at the power of human imagination yielded to the authority of Jesus Christ to find victory today and every day amid the expectations and anxieties we face in pastoral leadership.

The blessings and benefits of our calling are immeasurable, but the pressure is relentless. How we deal with that pressure determines, in large measure, both the effectiveness and longevity of our service in any particular ministry assignment.

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