The Sad Life of A Preacher

The sad life of a preacher - 
• 600 people are present and you are making a list of the 30 who aren’t and are so concerned about them you find it hard to rejoice.
• 100 people tell you the event that just happened was one of the most meaningful, interconnecting, uniting helpful things they have ever experience and your heart breaks because one sister who wasn’t a part of the powerful event says things aren’t going well.
• 200 people place membership, are baptized or restored in a year and you are counting the 10 who left.
• One or two people who love to complain, gripe and only raise their hand to gossip, belittle or criticize affect the mood and emotions of the whole Body.
• The church praises a lesson and you feel the stab of one brother/sister who misinterpreted it.
• You feel a heartbeat of satisfaction that your study and dedication helped in bringing a lesson that blessed some people’s like and then you remember Sunday comes in 7 days.
• You struggle with the darkness in your own heart and the besetting sins of your own life.

That is the life...a mixture of blessings a burdens. Change the numbers, it doesn’t matter if it’s 100 or 1000 the story is the same. I have lived it for 30+ years.  
Anyone who stays in this life does not do it for glory, recognition, riches or a peaceful, easy life - but because of a love for the Lord.  I am blessed to preach - it is all I know and all I want to do BUT someone has to let people know the emotions and to let younger guys know they are not alone in what they face.

The joyful life of a preacher - you get to be a part of peoples’ life. You get to partner with God in salvation. You get to proclaim “Good News”! There is nothing like it! All the other is “small potatoes” in comparison!