By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son… – Hebrews 11:17

I will always remember the day I put my personal Isaac on the altar.

When leaders from my previous church informed me that I was being asked to resign my position of Senior Pastor, I thought my time in ministry had come to a close. Who would want a cast off?

An opportunity finally emerged some four months later, but in the process of meeting with the search team, I hit a major roadblock. For the first time in my months out of the pastorate, real fear began to cripple me. The roadblock seemed insurmountable not just for the present opportunity but my fear was the roadblock would doom any future opportunities in ministry as well.

In half-depression, half-desperation, I finally surrendered ministry to the Lord. I told Him if He wanted my to continue to pastor, I would gladly do it, and if for some reason He was through with me in that roll and wanted me to support my family some other way while serving as a layman in a church, I would do that as well. I discovered that ministry was my “Isaac.”

Ministry was God’s promise to me. Ministry was all that I would foresee in the future, but I was finally a broken man and willing to give it all up as long as God would show me WHAT He wanted me to do next. God had to test me where my greater love was directed – to Him or to ministry. Was I ministering FOR God or had ministry BECOME my god? It was at that moment that God flooded my soul with His peace and He began to dismantle my roadblock bit by bit.

I can honestly say that placing my Isaac on the altar was not an attempt to appease or manipulate God. I sincerely believed that afternoon that I would never pastor again and that rather than a new chapter in my life, God was closing the book all together. He finally showed me that He wanted ME more than He wanted my MINISTRY.

I can say now that God has placed me in a GREAT PLACE. I love my church and I love ministry in this setting. As much as I love my church, I have grown deeper in my love for GOD, since now I see Him as the Provider and Purpose of the calling on my life. I had to give up MY ministry so it could once again be HIS ministry.

Is there something in your life you fear God may be asking you to surrender? I know how scary that can seem, but as someone who has been there, and done that, I can testify that He only wants you to be willing, TRULY WILLING, to give it up. If you do, will He give it back to you? Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever He does, it will be better than what you held in your hand before you let it go.

With God, the best is always yet to come.