July 5th, 2025
by William Earp
by William Earp
I have just completed the second part of my doctoral portfolio, which was a case study on a well-known and successful pastor, and I wanted to share one of the key takeaways.
This pastor reflected on his ministry and now realizes that the first three years were a test from God. As difficult as they were, he now sees how God used that time to strengthen his dedication and prepare him for more difficult trials that would come.
Through the study, I came to this conclusion. The quicker you can realize that there is something to learn from the trial you are in, the quicker you can start to heal and recover. While the trial may be ongoing, attempting to learn from a situation can bring calmness and peace of mind that will allow you to face it with a steady hand.
The Coast Guard thrives in environments that typically destroy others. Their unofficial motto, "You have to go out, you don't have to come back." But do they send their sailors into the storm unprepared? No! They train and prepare for those moments. Think of the Coast Guard ships that go out in the storms and purposely try to roll their boats in the surf. To an unsuspecting sailor, a tipping ship is a disaster, but to a captain in training, it is an opportunity to learn to steer the ship when others would sink. The unsuspecting sailor and the captain in training are in the same storm. One is trying to survive, the other is trying to thrive.
Both sailors are attempting to make it out of the storm alive, but one is focused on saving himself, the other is training to save others.
Just like the Coast Guard trains their sailors to navigate rough waters, God will train you to navigate the storms that you must lead others through. You have got to go through it to know that you can survive it.
Imagine if we purposed ourselves to glory in our tribulations as Paul stated to the Romans (Rom. 5:3-5). There must be a way to get from suffering to hope. What if we embraced the pain, the suffering, and seized time in the storm as an opportunity to learn? What if we opened our eyes to the possibilities?
Our family just went over a waterfall on a whitewater rafting trip. When we looked at pictures of others who made the same drop, some had their eyes closed, and some kept them open. While the pictures are comical, If you close your eyes in fear and withdraw to the center of the boat, who is steering the ship? Not only that, but you will feel alone and will not be able to work with others who are paddling alongside you. So if you find yourself in this situation, keep your eyes open, and you will see others working alongside you, allowing you to prepare for obstacles in advance.
Remember, as lonely as you may feel, you are not, and as hard as it may be, open your eyes so that you can boldly steer the ship. You are a captain in training, there is a purpose to being in the storm, and there are lives to be saved.
This pastor reflected on his ministry and now realizes that the first three years were a test from God. As difficult as they were, he now sees how God used that time to strengthen his dedication and prepare him for more difficult trials that would come.
Through the study, I came to this conclusion. The quicker you can realize that there is something to learn from the trial you are in, the quicker you can start to heal and recover. While the trial may be ongoing, attempting to learn from a situation can bring calmness and peace of mind that will allow you to face it with a steady hand.
The Coast Guard thrives in environments that typically destroy others. Their unofficial motto, "You have to go out, you don't have to come back." But do they send their sailors into the storm unprepared? No! They train and prepare for those moments. Think of the Coast Guard ships that go out in the storms and purposely try to roll their boats in the surf. To an unsuspecting sailor, a tipping ship is a disaster, but to a captain in training, it is an opportunity to learn to steer the ship when others would sink. The unsuspecting sailor and the captain in training are in the same storm. One is trying to survive, the other is trying to thrive.
Both sailors are attempting to make it out of the storm alive, but one is focused on saving himself, the other is training to save others.
Just like the Coast Guard trains their sailors to navigate rough waters, God will train you to navigate the storms that you must lead others through. You have got to go through it to know that you can survive it.
Imagine if we purposed ourselves to glory in our tribulations as Paul stated to the Romans (Rom. 5:3-5). There must be a way to get from suffering to hope. What if we embraced the pain, the suffering, and seized time in the storm as an opportunity to learn? What if we opened our eyes to the possibilities?
Our family just went over a waterfall on a whitewater rafting trip. When we looked at pictures of others who made the same drop, some had their eyes closed, and some kept them open. While the pictures are comical, If you close your eyes in fear and withdraw to the center of the boat, who is steering the ship? Not only that, but you will feel alone and will not be able to work with others who are paddling alongside you. So if you find yourself in this situation, keep your eyes open, and you will see others working alongside you, allowing you to prepare for obstacles in advance.
Remember, as lonely as you may feel, you are not, and as hard as it may be, open your eyes so that you can boldly steer the ship. You are a captain in training, there is a purpose to being in the storm, and there are lives to be saved.
William Earp
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