Many a pastor and his wife have discovered that some of their greatest burdens in the ministry come not from great outward persecutions, but from the little frustrations that make up their everyday life. A lot of these come from immature Christians that we must work with. Few are called on to endure physical torture—in the stocks, in prison, stoning, being thrown to the lions. Those things are not commonplace in our day, at least not here in America. But all of us will have daily trials that might be likened to the nibbling of the little foxes on the grapes. You need to be prepared for this type of persecution—it is subtle but insidious in its discouraging effects on your ministry. How do you handle difficult people

Those who enter the full-time ministry will find that they are certainly not immune to temptations. Sadly enough, we sometimes hear of pastors and Christian leaders whose ministries and testimonies have been ruined by their falling into sins of immorality, dishonesty, etc. We are grieved and ask ourselves, “How could that happen? How do people who love the Lord and know His Word and who have been so greatly used of God—how do they fall into such terrible sin?”

There are certain characteristics that every Christian lady should have. This is especially true if your husband is in full-time Christian service. Since you are “on staff” or in a place of leadership, others will be looking to you for a Godly example.

Many wives whose husbands are in the ministry have developed a habit of complaining. When you listen to them talk, they can only complain about all that is wrong. If you listen to them very long, it can be very depressing.

We have been looking the past several months at different ways that a wife can stand by her husband and help him to succeed in the ministry. Remember, these principles apply not only to those in the ministry, but to any man whatever his occupation. As a wife, you are to be your husband’s cheerleader, his chief supporter, and his encourager.

We are going to continue this month looking at some ways that you as a wife can help to make your husband to succeed in the ministry. We have mentioned several in the past issues: please him, don’t possess him, praise him, and protect him.

In the last two issues we have looked at three different ways that a wife can help her husband to succeed. She should seek to please him, putting his needs before her own. She should not possess him—but allow him to pursue the path that God has laid out for him. And she needs to praise him, letting him know that she is his biggest fan and she has confidence in him. Let me say again that these things apply to anyone—not just a wife whose husband is in full time Christian service. This month we want to look at another way a wife can “stand by her man” and help her husband to succeed, no matter what occupation he may be in.