Relationships in the Pastoral Family
87
question your loyalty or your sincere desire to fulfil your obligations.—
Manuscript Releases 6:47
.
A minister’s success or failure depends very much on the
spouse—The wife of a minister of the gospel can be either a most
successful helper and a great blessing to her husband or a hindrance to
him in his work. It depends very much on the wife whether a minister
will rise from day to day in his sphere of usefulness, or whether he
will sink to the ordinary level.—
The Adventist Home, 355
.
Discontented ministers’ spouses cause disheartened minis-
ters—I was shown the life of Christ. When His self-denial and sacri-
fice is compared with the trials and sufferings of the wives of some of
our ministers, it causes anything which they may call sacrifice to sink
into insignificance. If the minister’s wife speaks words of discontent
and discouragement, the influence upon the husband is disheartening,
and tends to cripple him in his labor, especially if his success depends
upon surrounding influences. Must the minister of God in such cases
be crippled or torn from his field of labor to gratify the feelings of his
wife, which arise from an unwillingness to yield inclination to duty?
The wife should conform her wishes and pleasures to duty, and give
up her selfish feelings for the sake of Christ and the truth. Satan has
had much to do with controlling the labors of the ministers, through
the influence of selfish, ease-loving companions.—
Testimonies for the
Church 1:451
.
Satan controls ministers through selfish, ease-loving compan-
ions—Satan is ever at work to dishearten and lead astray ministers
whom God has chosen to preach the truth. The most effectual way in
which he can work is through home influences, through unconsecrated
companions. If he can control their minds, he can through them the
more readily gain access to the husband, who is laboring in word and
doctrine to save souls.... Satan has had much to do with controlling
the labors of the ministers through the influence of selfish, ease-loving
companions.—
The Adventist Home, 355
.
Ministers’ spouses who minister to others have no opportunity
to be lonesome—The light which the Lord has given me in regard to
minister’s wives is, If their life is kept in close consecration to God, as
is the duty of all who are laborers together with Him, they will find so
many souls to minister unto that they will have no opportunity to be
lonesome or to cultivate selfishness in any line. Jesus says, “Take My