Driven By Hurt

DRIVEN BY HURT! MIGHT I ADD A PREACHER’S PERSPECTIVE TO START THIS LESSON? BE KIND TO EVERY PERSON. PERHAPS YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PROBLEMS AND THE BATTLES OTHERS ARE FACING.

A preacher friend of mine was having some self-doubts and fears he was facing. There was a rather large family that had attended the church for many years. The woman decided to leave the church and told the pastor to his face. This church is dead. We have found a very “SPIRITUAL CHURCH” on the other side of town and we will use our influence to take as many as we can to this “VERY SPIRITUAL CHURCH” where the pastor is so loving! My husband does not agree but we are leaving this dead church.

The pastor cried all the way home. These people were the best givers in the church. Is God telling me I should leave the ministry? Their NEGATIVE SEEDS along with his personal doubts MAGNIIFIED the pastor’s insecurities. One night after supper the lady called and asked to speak to the pastor. The lady was crying real hard and begged the pastor to please come over to their house, it was a terrible problem. PLEASE, PLEASE PASTOR --- COME OVER TO OUR HOUSE WE NEED YOU DESPERATELY.

The pastor said I have a recommendation for you. WHY DON’T YOU CALL YOUR LOVING PASTOR? REMEMBER HE IS MUCH MORE SPIRITUAL THAN WE ARE. Hang up and call your “LOVING PASTOR, HE CAN HELP YOU!” The pastor hung up and told his wife about HOW THEY BEGGED HIM TO COME OVER AND HE RECOMMENDED CALLING THEIR PASTOR.

The next morning the hurt pastor went out in the yard and picked up the morning newspaper to read the headlines.

The newspaper brought the pastor to his knees on his front porch. The old church member had loaded the gun and shot and killed his wife, killed the 3 kids and then killed himself. 5 deaths? The “loving pastor and the spiritual church” had taken a terrible toll. LIFE AND MINISTRY CAN GET VERY HEAVY.