If you’ve been in ministry for more than five minutes, you already know this:
Church leadership pressure isn’t random.
It’s constant. And it feels unrelenting.
It doesn’t just hit your calendar.
Or your energy.
Or your finances.
It hits your identity.
It finds the soft spots you’ve worked hard to keep strong.
It presses in right where you puff up.
That’s not a coincidence.
That’s God.
Because here’s what I’ve come to believe after years of leading (and limping):
God presses where pride puffs.
Humility is too necessary in ministry (or any leadership seat) for God to ignore where our pride lives.
And ministry pressure reveals what pride tries to disguise.
The Problem Isn’t the Pressure.
It’s What the Pressure Touches.
- If you pride yourself on your preaching, the pressure will show up in the pulpit.
- If your identity is anchored in how many people show up on Sunday, the attendance chart will start to feel personal.
- If you’ve quietly built your worth around your leadership, staff conflict won’t feel like a team issue—it’ll feel like a verdict.
Pressure has a way of finding where our pride is hiding.
It’s like divine radar. And the more puffed up we are in a particular area, the more that area becomes the pressure point.
That’s not accidental. It’s formative.
Why God Allows Pressure
Because pride—especially the subtle, quiet kind—might be the most dangerous threat to long-term ministry health.
Not the loud, arrogant kind. That’s easy to spot (and easier to avoid).
I’m talking about the hidden kinds:
-
The pride of competence
“I’m the one holding this together.” -
The pride of control
“If I don’t make every decision, things fall apart.” -
The pride of being liked
“If people are upset, I must be doing something wrong.” -
The pride of being needed
“They couldn’t do this without me.”
These aren’t sins we confess.
They’re instincts we protect.
And that’s why God presses—not out of anger, but out of grace.
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6
“My power is made perfect in weakness.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9
Pressure becomes the scalpel He uses to cut away what we’ve built on ourselves.
It’s not fun. It’s not easy.
But it’s how we become leaders who can be trusted with more.
So What Do We Do with the Pressure?
Here’s what we don’t do:
- We don’t numb it.
- We don’t blame others for it.
- And we definitely don’t pretend it’s not real.
Here’s what we do instead:
- We receive it.
- We let it teach us.
- We let it humble us.
Ask yourself:
- Where is the pressure hitting hardest right now?
- What part of your identity feels most threatened?
- Could that be a place where pride has taken root?
If so, maybe the pain you’re feeling isn’t punishment.
Maybe it’s pruning.
And pruning, painful as it is, is always preparation.
“Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – John 15:2
Let the Pressure Lead You to Surrender
Leadership will always come with pressure. That’s the cost of influence.
But the gift hidden in the pressure is this:
God uses it to remind us that the strength of the ministry isn’t built on us. It’s built on Him.
You don’t have to carry the weight of what only God can sustain.
So if you’re feeling pressed, especially in the areas where you once felt most proud…take a breath.
You’re not being punished.
You’re being purified.
Let the pressure do its work.
Not just in your ministry—
In your soul.
Quotes to Share
“God presses where pride puffs—because pride can’t sustain what leadership requires.”
“Pressure exposes what pride hides. But that exposure is a gift.”
“You’re not being punished. You’re being purified. Let the pressure do its work.”
Other Posts Of Interest…
- 10 Leadership Traits of Jesus (Plus 1 Guiding Principle)
- Why Can’t I Let Others Help Me?
- Why You Should Ask For Help
Want Help Carrying the Weight?
Join a FREE Pressure Valve Session: I host a monthly Pressure Valve Session to help pastors like you tackle one of these seven pressures head-on.
Attend a Leadership Lab: Attend a digital strategy lab and walk away with a practical plan to confidently lead under pressure. Or I’ll come to you and host a retreat or a 1-day workshop.
Take the Pressure Inventory: This free, 5-minute assessment helps you identify where the pressure is heaviest for you.
Here’s To Releasing Some Of The Pressure,
Dr. Gavin Adams
