“But You, Beloved…”

A call for endurance in ministry

June 27th, 2025

By: Zach Watson | Founder and Director of Refresh-Restore Ministries

It’s a sobering thing to watch someone walk away from the faith. Maybe it’s a former church member, a public Christian figure, or even a fellow pastor. You once heard their prayers, sat under their preaching, or shared tears with them during altar calls—and now they’ve drifted. Or worse, deconstructed.

We’ve seen this too often. From prominent pastors to worship leaders to everyday believers quietly ghosting the church. And it weighs heavy—especially for those of us in ministry. If you’re leading God’s people in this cultural moment, you’ve likely asked yourself: How do I stay true when others are falling away?

“But You…” – A Call to the Faithful

Twice in Jude’s letter we read the phrase: “But you, beloved…” (vv. 17 and 20). With those two words, Jude pivots from exposing false teachers to encouraging faithful saints. He moves from warning about apostates to shepherding the church.

Yes, the world is shifting. Yes, falsehood is multiplying. But Jude isn’t calling for panic—he’s calling for perseverance. The Spirit of God, through the pen of Jude, is speaking directly to you, pastor. But you…Not them. Not the fallen. You, the one still preaching. You, the one showing up week after week. You, the one caring for a congregation that may not even know how much it’s costing you to stay faithful. “Some of the most faithful pastors in the world are serving in near obscurity, in difficult places, with little fruit to show—and they are deeply pleasing to God.”— Brian Croft

If no one else sees your labor, God does. If no one applauds your preaching, Christ smiles at your perseverance. You are not forgotten.

Jude gives us two rails to run on:

• Be spiritually guarded (vv. 17–19)

• Be spiritually guided (vv. 20–21)

Be Spiritually Guarded

Jude reminds his readers that mockers will come. False teachers will slip in. You’re not unique—this is what Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John all warned about. Don’t be caught off guard. Be spiritually awake. “Remember the words which were spoken before of the apostles…” (Jude 17) This is a call to pastors not just to guard the flock—but to guard themselves. Don’t assume it can’t happen to you. The same winds of compromise that knock others down can blow across your soul too.

Let me say this tenderly: some of you are fighting off doubts no one else knows about. You're weary. You're wrestling. You’ve secretly wondered what it would be like to walk away—to get out of the ministry, to stop carrying the burdens, to just fade into the background.

Brother pastor—you are not alone. That thought doesn't make you unfit—it makes you human.

But hear this: don’t walk away from what God has called you to walk through. The Good Shepherd hasn’t left you. He sees. He knows. And He is walking with you. He has entrusted this season, this calling, and this people to you. Hold the line—not in your own strength, but in His.

Be Spiritually Guided

In verses 20–21, Jude shifts from guarding to guiding. He gives four disciplines to help leaders stay grounded when the ground around them seems to be shifting:

A. Build Yourself Up

“…building up yourselves on your most holy faith…” (v. 20)

You spend hours every week building sermons, building ministries, and building others—but are you building yourself up? Some of you are leading with empty tanks. You’ve given out more than you’ve taken in. Jude reminds you: spiritual maturity isn’t automatic. It requires intentional construction—brick by brick, truth by truth. Build yourself on the sure foundation of God’s Word. Not for next Sunday’s message. For your own soul.

B. Pray in the Holy Spirit

“…praying in the Holy Ghost…” (v. 20)

Ministry without prayer is unsustainable. The Holy Spirit isn’t a silent partner in ministry—He’s the sustaining power behind it. Pray for your church. Yes. But don’t forget to pray for you. When was the last time you just sat with the Lord—not to produce anything, but just to be with Him? Pastor, Jesus doesn’t need your sermon prep. He wants your heart. Return to prayer—not as a task, but as the refuge your heart longs for.

C. Keep Yourself in the Love of God

“…keep yourselves in the love of God…” (v. 21)

This is the heart of the passage. The only command in this section. Stay tethered. Stay close.

Stay in the place where God’s love meets your weakness. Stay in the rhythms of grace that keep you from spiritual drought. Jude is not telling you to earn God’s love—he’s telling you not to drift from it. You’re not alone. The God who called you still holds you. He hasn’t changed His mind about you.

D. Look for the Mercy of Christ

“…looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (v. 21)

Lift your eyes. You are not running for the approval of men. You’re running for the “Well done” of the Master. The applause of earth fades—but the reward of Christ is eternal.

Keep looking forward, not around. Your ministry is not measured by the size of your church or the scope of your influence—but by your faithfulness to Jesus.

To the Pastor in Isolation

Some of you feel like you’re on an island. You’re the only staff member. You’re the worship leader, youth pastor, finance chair, and janitor all rolled into one. You’ve sat in your office wondering, Does any of this matter? Is it worth it? Does anyone see?

Yes, it matters. Yes, it’s worth it. And yes, God sees. Brother, faithfulness in obscurity is still faithfulness. Heaven will celebrate things that earth ignored. Keep going. “The more affliction we endure for Christ in this world, the more consolation we shall have with Christ in the world to come.”— John Flavel

You may not get the applause of men here, but you're storing up eternal joy there. God wastes nothing—not your pain, not your prayers, not even your perseverance in a hard place.

To the Pastor in Hardship

Some of you are walking through storms—betrayal, burnout, illness, criticism, or deep discouragement. You're preaching through pain. You’re trying to lead while bleeding.

The cross wasn’t cushioned. And the call isn’t always easy. But the One who called you has not abandoned you. You are not forgotten in the fog. His mercy meets you in the trial, not just after it. His strength is not stored for the finish line—it’s supplied in the middle of the fight. Even in the silence, His presence is sustaining you.

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”— Isaiah 41:10, KJV

To the Pastor Wrestling with Temptation

Some of you are wrestling with sin. Secret struggles. Thoughts of quitting. Temptations that whisper, “No one will ever know.” Listen: the same mercy you preach to others is available to you. You are not beyond grace. Bring it into the light. Talk to someone you trust. Don’t let shame write your story—let Christ redeem it.

You’re Not the Only Light—But You Might Be the First

Remember Benjamin Franklin and the kerosene lantern? In a dark Philadelphia, he simply lit one lamp outside his home. Others followed. Soon, the city glowed.

You don’t have to fix everything. You just need to be faithful.

One faithful pastor in a small town. One steady leader in a discouraged church. One godly man or woman who says, “I will stand, even if I stand alone.” That’s how God works.

Let the world chase relevance. Let the culture mock. And some will "deconstruct". You stay faithful. Build yourself up. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourself in the love of God. Look for the mercy of Jesus. Because He is coming. And when He does, it won’t be for the merely trendy, the famous, or the popular—it will be for the faithful. It will be for those who believe. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling…” (Jude 24) If you're serving in silence—God sees. If you're preaching in pain—God hears. If you're staying when others are straying—God is pleased.

Keep going. You're not done. And you are not alone.

Grace and peace,

Zach Watson

Quotes Sources:

1. Brian Croft

“Some of the most faithful pastors in the world are serving in near obscurity, in difficult places, with little fruit to show—and they are deeply pleasing to God.”Source: Brian Croft and Jim Savastio, The Pastor's Soul: The Call and Care of an Undershepherd (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, 2020), p. 30.

2. John Flavel

“The more affliction we endure for Christ in this world, the more consolation we shall have with Christ in the world to come.”Source: John Flavel, The Mystery of Providence (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1996 [orig. 1678]), p. 115.

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