Depression, anxiety, and stress. Three words that are all too common in our lives today. Even as Christians, we aren’t immune to these struggles. Scott Sauls unpacks one particular season in his life when he felt overcome by these emotions.
“It flattened me. I was in ministry at the time and it was just a bizarre, broken season where it was difficult for me to get out of bed. I had a wife and two kids, I was in ministry and just couldn’t pull myself together.”
As a pastor of congregation, Scott didnt feel as though he could admit to struggling. One day he went aganst the instinct to hide and welcomed his congregation into his story and his struggle.
“What the heck. I’m going to share this with the church. You wouldn’t believe how many e-mails I got, people would come up to me later and people three years later referenced that sermon as sort of a turning point in their own lives.”
Scott’s honesty and transparency struck a chord with his congregation. He was now one of them, struggling with the same hardships of life on earth.
“I had one of the older gentlemen in the church come up to me afterwards and say, Scott I appreciate your ministry. I think you’re a gifted communicator, but I want you to know I’m entirely unimpressed by that. I will tell you that after you shared these things with us today, I would say that today you truly became my pastor because you demonstrated that you’re a lot more like me then not like me.”
When we are transparent with our struggles and temptations, it allows us to connect with those around us who are experiencing the same trials.
“I think that’s a great way to invite community. Everybody is struggling, some of us wear it on our sleeves more than others, but someone once said, be kind because everyone you meet is fighting a hidden battle.”
Scott Sauls is Senior Minister of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Previously, Scott was a lead and preaching pastor for Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, where he worked alongside Dr. Timothy Keller.
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