That cannot be known in advance.
People just move on. They transition into different life stages. Needs change. Preferences evolve. Relationships grow closer and more distant. Social pressures cause friction. Jobs require relocation. Dreams lead people elsewhere. At some point you will have faithfully given all that someone needed you to give, and what they need now what someone else has to give.
And somehow, in the middle of all of that, God’s sovereignty is mysteriously at work.
It dramatically changed my experience as a pastor when I realized that I wouldn’t be anyone’s pastor forever. It might be for one Sunday, or a few months, or a year, or several years, or a decade, or possibly a lifetime. But I can never know, and I cannot determine the end date.
I’d like to think that this realization made me a better pastor. But I’m probably not the best judge of that. What I can say is that it made me a more content, more open-hearted, and more open-handed pastor.
Make the most of the influence you have while you have it. Steward that gift as long as it is yours to share. Let your light shine, and welcome others to enjoy it as long as they may.
