Today, I would love to give you a clever illustration, a quirky story, or an intriguing analogy, but as I write this, all I can share with you is the condition of my heart.
I never realized how big the bullseye is on a pastor’s chest until I became one myself. Sometimes it hurts being a pastor. I understand that people complain, and that is often our nature. I understand that taking criticism personally is poison to my heart. Here is the truth — when you stand in the center of a storm, you are bound to get hit by lightning. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 1:10, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
How do we get on the same page? It takes humility and patience. It takes a denial of self. It is the crucifixion of self in the service of the church.
The question we must ask, as I have stated in previous posts, is why do you go to church? Do you go for what you get or for what you give? Do you go to demand your rights or to deny yourself? Church is not about you or me, it’s about God, and the sooner the people of HIS CHURCH realize it, the less we will be and the more we will accomplish.
Leading from the target side of the archery range…very appropriate analogy, Wes. You're right about the church. Our only hope is Christ, the head of the church (Col. 1:18), not just when people acknowledge His lordship but whether they do or not. Hang in there, my friend.
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Thanks Brett.
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