So what ARE we gonna do about it?
If you've read the "Ministry of God" post, you know that we're not satisfied. What else is new? If I had a nickle for every person I know that is "not satisfied", well, I'd better not stuff 'em in my pocket lest my trousers give up the battle with gravity (which you just KNOW would happen at the worst possible time ;^)
Many afflicted with discontent are also sentenced to it by their own unwillingness do anything about it.
One of the frustrations that pastors have (there are a few!) is when someone comes to them with a problem, in need of counsel. It usually goes something like this...
"Pastor, I'm really struggling. You know my wife and I don't get along much, and there's this girl at work I've been hanging out with. I really like her and she's into me. I know that--on the one hand--I should quit hanging out with her and work on my marriage, but she and I don't fight and she's more affectionate and available and I'm tired of investing my self in this tough marriage. The weight of this decision is just killing me... what do you think I should do?"
"Honor your wife. Quit hanging out with this other lady. Grab your wife's hand and seek help in mending this marriage."
"but..."
"No 'buts'. You have a commitment, a reponsibility. You have a covenant with your wife--but it's a three-way covenant with her and with God. If you want someone to justify your bad choice to cheat, or to give you the affirmation that it's OK for you to abandon your marriage, you shouldn't have come to your pastor. If you want to do what you should do, you have to come to terms first with the fact that it's not particularly what you want to do right now. There is a "right" and a "wrong" to this situation and right now you're in the wrong. "
Shock. Annoyance. A slightly hurt look. A half-hearted commitment to "pray it through" (as if God's gonna change his mind about infidelity and divorce just to make an exception for this particular case) and a short "Thanks, I'll see ya later pastor."
Believe it or not, these conversations not only happen, but often the same troubled individual comes back in a month or two with exactly the same circumstance (still cheating, still trying to decided what to do to find peace.) Arrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhh!
Our tendency is to look at the tough truth, but watch our capacity to embrace it collapse under the weight of our selfish desires.
On the personal level, these decisions don't just involve infidelity--they involve daily business decisions, relational attitudes, opportunities to serve others, etc.
The funny thing is... God's word gives us guidance on all of these things. Most of the time, the right thing to do--while it may be the harder road to take--is just as clear as day.
Our problem isn't that we don't have the right answer available from God--it's our having the right heart available for God.
As a church (the BIG church--the bride of Christ) we've been known for our heart problems. That doesn't mean there aren't good ministries out there, but that there are far fewer than there are "churches".
We look at Jesus' ministry and tell the homeless person that shows up on Sunday looking for some help to "get lost". He probably is lost and Jesus weeps for him--and us.
We compartmentalize our life... Church and "Christianese" on Sunday, Monday Night Football and F-bombs at the TV with the fellas on Monday, hope-the-pastor-don't-hear-about-it bachelor party on Friday, Church and, "that's right pastor, tell it like it is..." on Sunday.
We're a mess.
So... So what ARE we gonna do about it? We're gonna look at Jesus' ministry and the truth of God's word, and we're gonna serve in His image with all our hearts! Hearts that we're begging Him to help us give completely over to Him.
We're not just, in the words of the world, "sold out"--we're more than that: We're bought at a price. A price NONE of us can afford to pay.
Praise God and pray with us. Strive with us to grow in Christ, to serve as Christ, to see others as Christ, to give our all. Let's reach for serving God with the amazing heart with which He serves us.
God Bless
much love,
Hogan
Many afflicted with discontent are also sentenced to it by their own unwillingness do anything about it.
One of the frustrations that pastors have (there are a few!) is when someone comes to them with a problem, in need of counsel. It usually goes something like this...
"Pastor, I'm really struggling. You know my wife and I don't get along much, and there's this girl at work I've been hanging out with. I really like her and she's into me. I know that--on the one hand--I should quit hanging out with her and work on my marriage, but she and I don't fight and she's more affectionate and available and I'm tired of investing my self in this tough marriage. The weight of this decision is just killing me... what do you think I should do?"
"Honor your wife. Quit hanging out with this other lady. Grab your wife's hand and seek help in mending this marriage."
"but..."
"No 'buts'. You have a commitment, a reponsibility. You have a covenant with your wife--but it's a three-way covenant with her and with God. If you want someone to justify your bad choice to cheat, or to give you the affirmation that it's OK for you to abandon your marriage, you shouldn't have come to your pastor. If you want to do what you should do, you have to come to terms first with the fact that it's not particularly what you want to do right now. There is a "right" and a "wrong" to this situation and right now you're in the wrong. "
Shock. Annoyance. A slightly hurt look. A half-hearted commitment to "pray it through" (as if God's gonna change his mind about infidelity and divorce just to make an exception for this particular case) and a short "Thanks, I'll see ya later pastor."
Believe it or not, these conversations not only happen, but often the same troubled individual comes back in a month or two with exactly the same circumstance (still cheating, still trying to decided what to do to find peace.) Arrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhh!
Our tendency is to look at the tough truth, but watch our capacity to embrace it collapse under the weight of our selfish desires.
On the personal level, these decisions don't just involve infidelity--they involve daily business decisions, relational attitudes, opportunities to serve others, etc.
The funny thing is... God's word gives us guidance on all of these things. Most of the time, the right thing to do--while it may be the harder road to take--is just as clear as day.
Our problem isn't that we don't have the right answer available from God--it's our having the right heart available for God.
As a church (the BIG church--the bride of Christ) we've been known for our heart problems. That doesn't mean there aren't good ministries out there, but that there are far fewer than there are "churches".
We look at Jesus' ministry and tell the homeless person that shows up on Sunday looking for some help to "get lost". He probably is lost and Jesus weeps for him--and us.
We compartmentalize our life... Church and "Christianese" on Sunday, Monday Night Football and F-bombs at the TV with the fellas on Monday, hope-the-pastor-don't-hear-about-it bachelor party on Friday, Church and, "that's right pastor, tell it like it is..." on Sunday.
We're a mess.
So... So what ARE we gonna do about it? We're gonna look at Jesus' ministry and the truth of God's word, and we're gonna serve in His image with all our hearts! Hearts that we're begging Him to help us give completely over to Him.
We're not just, in the words of the world, "sold out"--we're more than that: We're bought at a price. A price NONE of us can afford to pay.
Praise God and pray with us. Strive with us to grow in Christ, to serve as Christ, to see others as Christ, to give our all. Let's reach for serving God with the amazing heart with which He serves us.
God Bless
much love,
Hogan
posted by jehogan at 5:13 PM
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