Pastor-ing

From It's Like Herding Cats

One of the big eye-openers for me once I became a pastor was the inside look people gave you into their lives. It's a sacred honor I have never taken lightly. There are times, even in a small congregation that several people are going through so much, and you know it, that it feels like a weight.

The Bible tells us to "bear one another's burdens, for in this way we fulfill the law of Christ."

But it breaks my heart.

And the thing is, I'm not wired for this. In the family I grew up in, we keep everything private. If you are hurt, you're supposed to suck it up and keep going. You're supposed to handle it. Well, over the past 12 years, I've talked with several dying people. I've seen marriages implode. I've preached too many funerals. People have shared so many hurts...sometimes you just ache for them.

Tonight, I had a little girl who has already lost her Mom come and tell me her dog died last night. Her Dad woke her up at three in the morning to see her dog in the throes of seizures. She was almost expressionless when she told me about her step-mom sitting in bed with all the dogs toys around her grieving. She said it with no emotion visible. But her hurt was tangible.

It's just too much...

So Father... Abba...

I know some people who are overdue for some joy.
They've been hurt. Some grievously.
Some are still hurting.

Please mend. Please heal. Please make things right.