I had a tough time this week letting go of someone esle's problems. As a pastor, and you probably get this too from your friends or family, I get people who (with good intentions) want me to know whats happening in their life. They ask me to pray or to help or to give advice. I do and I love to. I feel honored to share the burden with each and every person who feels comfortable enough to share their burden with me. I share it with the Lord and trust that he will intervene... But...
I often have a hard time releasing it. I find myself carrying the load. Ill think about it, dream about it, if I get caught in the middle between parties then I feel the irritation of the conflict. I really have been struggling this week with one situation in particular. I have my life and family and extended family's cares and then when I add on other peoples stuff I can't release it can really settle in and cause me to feel low.
I am praying through this. I realize that lack of sleep the past few days have something to do with it but I think it is a lesson I need to learn. Their has to be a way of releasing it to the Lord and allowing the pain and care and love I have for people wash over me and lay before the Lord. Somehow when I pick up my baby and kiss my wife I have to focus m mind on them and meeting their needs.
Being a pastor is beautiful... complicated... messy... fulfilling and challenging. My heart is huge for people. I feel compassion for the hurting and the needy and like my daughter who walks up to me and says "UP... UP" with her arms open I feel the need to pick up all of those around me who come to me carrying their burden looking for help. I love what I do... I am learning how to let it go and Let God do the rest. It will do me and everyone else a greater service when I can release more effectively, especially my family.
Lets pray... maybe your carrying something heavy... a burden of your own or of someone Else's. Lets release it to the Lord right now together. I will pray below and as you read it you pray too and we will let the Lord carry us and take our burden.
"Lord, you see the hurting of this world, that is why you sent your son Jesus to this earth as one of us. You saw the only way to carry the weight of this worlds pain was through the cross. JESUS, Take these tremendous burdens we carry. Take the pain of lose, the hurt of relationship strife, the fear of job uncertainty, the broke of emotional turmoil, the distress of this world can be overwhelming. YOU GIVE HOPE! You heal the hurting, mend the wounded, carry the burdens of all of the world. Take us into your presence and never let us go. Make me a pastor who can help but who doesn't become weighed down by only the things you can truly carry. Help me to have the words to say and the prayer to pray and the compassion to help those in need. May High Point be a place where true restoration comes and where you take permanently the issues of this world off of us... Carry US through right now and take this burden we are carrying." -AMEN
Tory,
You, your family, and your church have our prayers. I can only imagine that the burdens of pastoring have increased as the economy has worsened.
Blessings to you.
Jodi, John and Adora Porter
Posted by: Jodi Porter | March 07, 2009 at 12:36 PM