As It Should Be

Am I thinking right on this?

Yesterday I realized I have moved on from a deep cut. It took a long time. For over a year I thought about it every day. You’ve been there and experience that kind of hurt and the haunt that travels with it. Not with intention, but I re-felt the sting, re-lived the pain. As I walked on air yesterday, enjoying a day of doing what I think I do best, I thought: “If you keep moving forward good will come.” It is never easy but God can take even the pain in your life and use it for purpose. 

Today I watched a parable. A member of the church was deeply disappointed by a decision many years ago. They worked through it. It was hard. The disappointed party was not at fault, they could have allowed the acidy of bitterness to choke them. Then today. Eight years later an individual came our way who was struggling with the same hurt. Practically the identical hurdle. They had been crushed, their good spirit broken, their flame nearly snuffed. Only our shepherds knew both hurts, so they paired the one with the scar with the one with the open wound to aid them, to be a parakletos, a comforter. How beauti…

Only.

Not.

The first wounded soul did not work through their pain. They did not accept their own parakletos, they allowed the wound seep in the infection of anger and became a victim. They hung around, pouted, tried to stir up stuff, let it be known how they had been so abused. They weren’t there serve that soul because they never recovered themselves from their own pain.

And because one soul refused the balm that God prescribes, two souls are lost. 

Preacher. Hurt. You will. It is not fun but it should not be unexpected. I would never minimize your wound. BUT, keep moving forward. The Lord needs that, the church needs that, the wounded saved need that, your fellow ministers need that, the lost need that. Don’t quit. He can turn your pain into purpose. Allow Him. 

Father, make us better men for Your cause. Make these Your servants bigger men than they would otherwise be for the health and strength of Your Kingdom. Use us as a living example of grace received. Help us to use the pain we have experienced to help others who will some day walk that same path. Bless these Your laborers and thank You for them.

In Jesus Name,

AMEN