WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE BUFFETED? PATIENCE?
WE ARE PENCILS IN THE HANDS OF GOD.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it PATIENTLY?
But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, YE TAKE IT PATIENTLY, THIS IS ACCEPTABLE WITH GOD.
Hebrews 10:36 FOR YE HAVE NEED OF PATIENCE, THAT, AFTER YE HAVE DONE
THE WILL OF GOD, YE MIGHT RECEIVE THE PROMISE.
2 Timothy 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive: but be gentle to all men, apt to
teach, PATIENT.
THERE IS A BIG BATTLE...
WE ARE EITHER
1. Investing Patience
2. OR FACE THE BATTLE OF BURNED OUT AND BURNED UP!
HOW POOR ARE THOSE THAT HAVE LITTLE TO NO PATIENCE?
COMPARISON CAN HURT US?
I had the honor and privilege of pastoring a little missions work in the mountains of eastern
Kentucky for 8 1/2 years, 1350 sermons. I touched many lives in my tenure there, but my
ecclesiatical trophy case grows nothing but dust. My name is unknown, and my hand’s reach
is very small. It is my intention to BE FAITHFUL until my call home.
I recall a very handsome and smart pastor coming to pastor about the same time I moved there
in 1981. In 3 months, the Freewill Baptist Church he pastored doubled. We had a very close
fellowship and often prayed together over common needs. I often lusted after his looks, wisdom,
and the growth that came to "his church" under his leadership.
In two years the church doubled again.
One night I was awake and heavy burdened for him. I prayed until morning for him. I called him and
asked him to meet me for lunch at the hospital. We sat in the far corner and ate.
I told him of the strange, heavy burden I carried for him. He started crying. I started crying.
He shared with me... His deacons never shared THEIR load of visitation, their office appeared to
be titular, in title only. The Sunday School teachers were always late or never showed up for
classes, and never called. He could not get his leadership to come to prayer.
The young people were not as serious as he thought they should be. He never had any family time.
He could not please the people. Some thought the music was too loud and too fast,
others thought he preached too long. Some said it was too hot? too cold?
His wife bought a new dress and some discussed that in a negative way.
He was getting paid too much for him to buy his wife a new dress.
My great successful brother was like
POPEYE, HE HAD ALL HE COULD STANDS AND COULD NOT STANDS NO MORE.
I said, "IT APPEARS YOU ARE ABOUT BURNED OUT!!"
He replied, I AM NOT ABOUT BURNED OUT, I AM BURNED UP..... !!!
Here with all his success and salary, he threw up his hands in disgust. I tried to reach him.
We had a prayer and left. In two weeks, I read in the news paper he had resigned and he was
leaving the area.
My dear, successful friend was discouraged and could not see what God had accomplished.
I later found, ... he left pastoring and was driving a long distance truck making 3 times the salary and
no stress. Later, I heard he and his wife were separated. Then later divorce and remarriage.
He saw his kids on holidays. He never attended church.
I often ponder my friend. One day, I was in Lexington, KY. I saw my friend pull in.
He was now the owner /operator of several big rigs and driving for himself. He was the
picture of successful, handsome, wise man.
I pondered my success has always been limited, I am not smart or good-looking.
Why did he quit? He came to my table, ... now several years had passed.
Our children were teenagers and we had gray hair.
I wanted so bad to ask him, was it so bad you had to quit the ministry, as pastor, but I
did not ask.
Before we left the table, he cried and so did I. He said, "Remember that day we ate lunch at the
hospital and you was broken for me? That day in my bitterness and disappointment I left the
hospital, the Holy Spirit tried to soften my heart, but I refused.
LIFE HAS A TENDANCY OF GROWING BITTERNESS AND BURN OUT.
He said: I forgot to study and pray, I forgot God in God’s work.
I was not patience with my family, the church or God.
I WAS LIVING ON EMPTY.
I would give anything to go back to that church and have another chance.
All those things that so upset me, was nothing .... but opportunities and doorways to God.
I listened to the negative crowd and in despair I quit.
Today, I would love people and LOOK BEYOND ..."
That church has never again thrived, bitterness and disappointment and a cowboy spirit grew.
I have cried many days for my brother.
His house is bigger, his car is shinier than mine.
His life is so broken, he is a stranger to his kids.
Those words still ring ... I AM NOT BURNED OUT, I AM BURNED UP....
Tears again run freely. No sadder words of pen or tongue than the words WHAT MIGHT
HAVE BEEN... ??? HOW MANY OF US NEAR BURN OUT AND BURNED UP?
Isaiah 40: 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the
Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29: He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30: Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as
eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
My dear friends, we have come to far, we have crossed to many hot, burning deserts.
Struggling the right roads to choose...
We must allow the patience of God to rule our spirits.
God’s word is T&P, tried and proven.
Refocus today, lift your head.
God never called us to great success but rather FAITHFULNESS TO OUR POST OF DUTY.
Hang on, keep on.... God has a plan, we seek more than trophies
We have been pondering the role of patience in the ministry.
We need to return to the basics and remember the ancient landmarks.
If we succeed in the work of God we must rely by faith on the plan of God.
God’s plan develops before our eyes, yet we cannot seem to see the trees for the forrest.
I want to DEVELOP A MINISTRRY that lifts up the hands that hang down.
Many are tired and frustrated and have lost their focus. Hope eludes us?
Frustration grows from deep chronic feelings of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from
what seems to be unresolved problems.
Our enemy wants you to feel frustrated, to take our best efforts and seem to bring them to nothing.
Our best efforts appear to be ineffective.
Our goals seemed blocked.
So, we throw up our hands.
We must learn patience, the Father knows and we must trust Him.
A Time Magazine writer was talking with Mother Teresa of India.
The reporter asked Mother Teresa, "How does it feel to be a failure?
You have fed hundreds of thousands, even millions of people in India, and there are still
millions of hungry people all around India?"
Mother Teresa replied,
" I am but a pencil in the hand of God, He writes with His LOVE in my life.
I yield and He writes. God has not called me to be successful. God called me to be faithful."
Waiting and patience with self, others and God is wise counsel.
All things come to those that wait.
Patience will allow you to continue God’s plan for every day work.
We sometimes lose sight of the cross in menial everyday life.
Patience must forget the hard, disagreeable, disappointments of menial living.
Our enemy makes fun of our frustrations and reminds us how little and useless we are. He is right.
But this is not our work, nor our plan.
You must allow the Spirit of God to encourage and empower the plan of the Most High.
Philipians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
The spirit of God is reaching forth, asking you to let go of the past that hinders us from reaching
toward the mark, the goal of the High Calling.
OFTEN WE EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM OTHER PEOPLE AND FROM OUR SELVES.
Kind words, little smiles, bear hugs, little notes of love and appreciation,
CAN BECOME TREASURES TO THE WEAK, THE TIRED AND THE DISCOURAGED.
Opportunity thrives in adversity.
REMEMBER: IN HIS TIME. GOD MAKES ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME.
God is not finished. God is building men and women, and we wait.
Maybe your life seems aimless and pain floods your presence? ....
WAIT. Does the church seem empty and the heavens brass? ... WAIT.
FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BROKEN YOUR HEART, you fear and feel so alone? ... WAIT.
Financial giants mock you? ... WAIT.
Your goals fade and your dream seems to die? ...WAIT.
Problems attack and buffet you on every side, answers elude you ... WAIT. Prayers seem unanswered ... WAIT.
All the doors you thought should open are closed ... WAIT.
There are 7 keys hid in Psalms 37: 1---8. The key that opens miracles is patient waiting.
Psa. 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself ....
1) vs 1 ... Fret not thyself.
2) vs 3 ... Trust in the Lord.
3) vs 4 ... Delight ... Joy.
4) vs 5 Commit your ways.
5) vs 7 Rest in the Lord.
6) vs 7 WAIT PATIENTLY.
7) vs 8 Cease from anger.
James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire wanting
nothing. What a goal, WANTING NOTHING, entire.
My THOUGHTS compel me to write. I have no vast readership.
Few take the time to read. That is not my responsibility, I write ...
God will give those to read, to pass to others or to adapt and preach as He will.
I trust that God will touch others by my words. We must learn the beauty of waiting.
We must learn and then teach others that patience is an arm of faith.
Laity support your pastors. Pastors support people.
I have cried with this sermon, I have prayed.
We are pencils writing the love of God in hearts of others.
There is a Divine Time Table, hang on...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Please ENCOURAGE SOMEONE. Enlarge my hands and pass to others.
