Wednesday, December 1, 2021
by Reverend Dan on December 3, 2021
It’s the holidays and the counseling load of pastors increases significantly during this time of year. The stress of the holidays coupled with situations and emotions that are raw bring people to our offices that we normally don’t see at other times during the year. I rarely write about these moments because they are so private, but today I had one that reminded me of the pain this time of year can bring for so many people, and a God who is bigger than that pain.
I spoke with a gentleman today who is broken. You could see it in his face and feel it in his presence. I listened to him talk for a long time, and finally he asked me, “What do I do?” Most of the time I feel inadequate to offer life advice, but sometimes there are moments when I feel the presence of God and hear words from my mouth that don’t come from me at all, and at those moments I know He is speaking. I told him, “The thing you need to do is stop running from the pain. As long as you do that, it will chase you. It’s not until you stop and face the pain that you can begin to move past it. It may never fully go away because some pain lasts for a lifetime. But when you face it with God as your strength, it’s then that you begin to learn to live with it and past it.”
Tonight, I’m praying for all the pastors during this time of year, and all the broken people God sends their way. Together, we can all learn how great the grace of our God is.
backI spoke with a gentleman today who is broken. You could see it in his face and feel it in his presence. I listened to him talk for a long time, and finally he asked me, “What do I do?” Most of the time I feel inadequate to offer life advice, but sometimes there are moments when I feel the presence of God and hear words from my mouth that don’t come from me at all, and at those moments I know He is speaking. I told him, “The thing you need to do is stop running from the pain. As long as you do that, it will chase you. It’s not until you stop and face the pain that you can begin to move past it. It may never fully go away because some pain lasts for a lifetime. But when you face it with God as your strength, it’s then that you begin to learn to live with it and past it.”
Tonight, I’m praying for all the pastors during this time of year, and all the broken people God sends their way. Together, we can all learn how great the grace of our God is.
