If you haven’t had a chance to read the first part of this post you might want to scroll down and check it out… In Craig’s talk on becoming a “fulltime pastor” and a “ part-time Christ follower” he gave three areas of deception that we fall into.We believe that our effort is better than God’s power. I know for me this one doesn’t even have to be cognitive. I guess you could say that about all of them really, but this one is big…especially for “full-time” vocational ministry people. You start doing the “Martha” thing…busy doing stuff for God and you fail to sit at His feet. I have to really ask myself how often I lead my team and our church to focus on God’s power. Resurrection power that raised Jesus…Creator power that spoke the world into existence…what pitiful “power” do I really bring to the table. God wants my heart.
We believe that our private life doesn’t affect our public ministry. I at least feel a little better about this one. No my private life isn’t all together but as best I know it is all out there for my personal board of directors. They know my stuff. I do believe God has breathed into me a passion to come at this thing called life from a perspective of authenticity…I’m screwed up – but I am a “screwed up” follower of my beautiful savior Jesus and He is changing me from the inside out. Yeah baby!
We believe that we must please people rather than God. Okay, so one out of three isn’t too good. I have had to work hard at pushing against the people pleaser addict inside of me. I love it when people like me or say good things about me. The problem with that is that it hurts like crazy when they say crap about me or I disappoint them. People leaving your church really stinks, but it is a reality that I have had to learn to accept. Then you get the shock wave…the shock wave is the reaction from those staying who just found out that one of their friends left and they look at you with this question in their eyes…what did you do this time? I’m not sure which hurts more really. Here is the deal though…you can’t lead people if you “need” people. God is teaching me this. He calls me to stand on point and please Him and only Him…an audience of one. There is nothing like putting a smile on His face 5 miles wide!
Okay, so I am going to add a part 3 to this…more later. God is talking to me about this one.
2 comments:
Boy...are you hitting home on me. It's not that I believe that my effort is better than God's, but I do struggle with discernment of when to let go and let God or pick up and do what I need to instead of saying I am letting God. That people pleaser came out in me today. I was worried why someone was upset with me and they weren't at all. It was just a bad time for them. I can't follow people with rosy-tinted glasses. That's not reality. Thanks for raising the bar and being real!
We all share the similar struggle Betty. Learning to set boundaries and saying no is a life-long pursuit for me.
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