(originally written and shared on December 9,2020)
Yesterday I sat in trust all day.
I realize that this was important for the reminder that I am receiving today found in Galatians 6:1.
God always prepares us. Today I receive the preparation.
If I was to ask the reader if they had chicken pox or measles before and their answer was no, I wonder how they would respond to my next question:
Would you wait on a person experiencing chicken pox or measles, a person who is contagious, if you never had chicken pox or measles before?
In the flesh, title or no title, humans would run for cover and avoid those infected at all costs.
But not Jesus.
A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. – Matthew 8:2-3
This is what pastoral leaders do.
Following in Jesus’ footsteps, they said “I want to” and they took on the roles of minister, servant, counselor, healer… A role that God’s Word prepares and equips them for.
So they (and their families) sacrifice their time and their energy to be in service to the people of God …
… to be at the side of the hospital bed,
…at funeral after funeral, after funeral,
… at jail cell visitations,
… in the courtroom,
… at the wedding,
… in the counseling office.
They are there.
“I want to” is what their spirit says.
You have to have a heart for this type of service because the demands far outweigh the flashiness of it that people think they see when they watch the leader at the pulpit for a couple of hours one or two days a week.
But Jesus said something else…
41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41
This is why we are not to put our trust in men – born of the flesh, the flesh is weak.
Men will fail you. (Matthew 26:36-40)
Men will go to sleep on you. (Matthew 26: 42-44)
Men will leave you (Matthew 26:56)
This is because the flesh is weak.
But GOD…
Will never leave you nor forsake you
God will never abandon you
God will never quit on you
God will never give up on you
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:8-9
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” – Hebrews 13:5-6
Jesus is our burden bearer.
Isaiah 53:1-12 (4,5,7)
Even though the people forget these things, the leader cannot forget these matters. The leader must do their best to remind the people always to put their trust, not in man, but in God.
As the leader reaches out to help others, he or she must be careful that the storms they enter do not enter them.
They must be mindful to wash daily in the Word of God and to dress for each day in the complete armor of God. This is a must that they wash because washing especially one’s hands’ wards off contamination and infection.
This is what I read today…
“We also know that we may choose to move forward or we may stay in a place of suffering and distress. As a healer, how you or I move forward or don’t, will predict how well we are able to help the healing emerge in others. Moving forward is the intentional choice of acknowledging and addressing symptoms, causes, and impacts, and then creating a healthy pathway to living out one’s mission as a healer.
We listen, we absorb, and we help one another metabolize life’s experiences.
The first is an honest sense of expectancy. We begin helping others by expecting to be impacted but also expecting not to be contaminated or diseased by them. We enter aware that it costs us to sit in their suffering and yet, expectant for a light to shine, even in their darkness. The expectation of being healthy amid suffering puts my feet on higher ground.
Sharing your narratives with reliably caring people whom you trust helps to hold you accountable for your intention toward health. When the secrecy of symptoms gets released, the benefits become more obvious and easier to embrace.
It means taking the day off and letting go of mistakes. Or walking and digging in the dirt. It means taking dance lessons and writing bad poetry. Ongoing self-care fuels us to use the full capacity of our gifts and skills for helping.
When you affirm a sense of expectancy, a commitment to do your internal work, and practice ongoing self-care you then are positioned best to move forward, to continue growing into who you are, and to be a shining light for those who we help.” END QUOTE
In short, what I got out of the above is the following:
1. Know that helping others will affect me in some way, but don’t let it infect me
Wash wash wash (which is why I get in the Word of God)
2. Have someone that you can depend upon to keep you accountable. (By not putting my trust in man, I won’t put this weight of keeping me accountable on the shoulders of one person. Instead, my reputation would be one of speaking God’s Word and of prayer; thus, everyone who chooses to talk to me will talk to me because this is what they expect from me and it is their expectation of me that will keep me accountable because it will press me to stay in position before the Lord.)
3. Take time to get away and refresh. (Shut it down. Shut the phone down. Shut the computer down. Close the door.
Rest. I’ve taken to watching Japanese television in an attempt to rest my mind. It rests my mind because my mind would have to work to understand the language therefore I won’t quickly be dropped into a place where I will find myself studying. Crazy that I have to watch Japanese tv in order to rest my mind. Lol )
At the end of the day…
Ultimately…
One must not forget
To keep on the watch
Even for one’s own self
Between a Father and HIS daughter 