On January 1, John Piper will be transitioning out of his role of Senior Pastor At Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, a role he has served faithfully in for 30 years.  Recently Mark Driscoll interviewed him on The Resurgence website about what he has learned in those 30 years.  You can read the interview here. The first question Mark asked John was, “What would John Piper today tell a young John Piper who is getting ready to enter into ministry?”  I thought his answer was wise and helpful, particularly in the stage we are in transitioning out of planting Grace Hill and looking to a future call.

I would quote to him V. Raymond Edman: “Don’t question in the dark what God showed you in the light.” Darkness comes. In the middle of it, the future looks blank. The temptation to quit is huge. Don’t. You are in good company. You are in the pit with King David. He waited. “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction” (Ps. 40:1–2). God will do that for you. You will argue with yourself that there is no way forward. But with God, nothing is impossible. He has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of pits than you can conceive. Wait. Pray without ceasing. Hope.

So, if you feel like there is no way out to whatever situation you find yourself in take hope, God has more ropes and ladders and tunnels out of the pits that you can conceive.