Monday, September 17, 2012

Heartache

Since I spilled my guts yesterday, let me tell you something else.  What do people think of pastors?  Are they cool?  Boring?  Irrelevant?  Do they have an easy job?  Do they have a hard job?  Whatever people think about pastors, sometimes there is a lot of heartache.

When you have to visit with someone who had a terminal illness.  When you visit with someone who has a sick child.  When you visit with someone who is dealing with unfaithfulness or divorce.  When you have to bury those that you personally love, there is heartache.

I thank God that His shoulders are big.  Big enough to cry on.  I thank God that He is always there, always ready to comfort us.  He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeff, how very glad I am that you're sharing these things that you have the past couple of days. God never intends for anyone to carry their burdens alone. He gives us each other.

And what safer place to share them, than with those you love the most...your church family. To be real honest, I do not know how you or other pastors take all this.


Also, I have to confess that when WCC shares its prayer list, the long list of people with dire challenges and pain in life, just takes my breath away. When you see them all listed on one page, it's very hard. But not nearly as hard as those going through these things. Sometimes when I read those prayer lists, I just want to cry.

No matter whether you shared your heart every day for a week, like you have these past couple of days, unless people walk in your steps, they will never truly know what all goes on behind the scenes in a pastor's life, work, and his day. Help us all to lift you up to God, even in the times when something new just happened and we aren't even aware.

God bless you and all pastors.

Anonymous said...

Pastors are unique just like everyone else, some are cool, some are boring, some irrelevant, some don't believe, some are awesome. The degree of toughness is highly dependent on how close they are trusting and leaning on the Holy Spirit. Its certainly an awesome responsibility. To whom soever much is given, much is also expected.