Dealing With Hurt | The Working Pastor

Not too long ago, I was in a great preacher’s meeting in Union, South Carolina. Welcome Baptist Church has wonderful services every year in August for lay preachers, pastors, evangelists and missionaries. Pastor Robert Jarvis asked a particular man to come up and preach. During the message, this man of God shared a battle that his family faced in the ministry a few years ago. Little did he know, that as he was sharing his story, God gave him a statement that helped many of us. The statement which this brother shared was concerning the difference in scars and wounds.

(Job 14:1) “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” (KJV)

Scars and wounds! You know… there is a big difference. Wounds have not healed, but scars have. Pastor, are you still licking wounds from yesteryear or have they lost their sting, healed over, leaving only a scar? WOW! What a thought!

Wounds…

Wounds are injuries experienced which are still bleeding and/or tender. They still have to be nurtured and salve must be applied to the bandage. Great care must be exercised as you or someone qualified sets the broken bones, cauterizes the infection and sterilizes the wound. Wounds hurt, sting, bring great discomfort and usually affect those around you.

The word “wound” can be used to describe what happens to us as Christians sometimes. Every pastor is a target of Satan. His fiery darts are allowed to fly their way, at times, for reasons usually known only by God. Church splits, slander, verbal attacks against family, lies, dissension, the proverbial “knife in the back”, and open division are just a few of the wounds a pastor and his family can face. Believe it or not, this is hard not to take personal.

Scars…

Scars are injuries that have ceased to be wounds. They have healed over. Though there is visible evidence that an injury has taken place, there is no hurting when touched. It takes time to for this to happen. We should remind ourselves from this time to time!

One important thing that scars do for us, is that they remind us of God’s provision. Yes, we cannot overlook this fact. When we look at the scars, so to speak, in our life, we can see where, perhaps, we made mistakes, but we also see the grace of God in it all! It is visible proof that God takes care of His own! Others can see this tangible evidence in your life and find it a great resource for them.

Moving Forward…

I have mentioned all of the above to get at this question: “Pastor are you still wounded?” Sometimes we think we are over stuff. However, if we haven’t and we say we have, then we are making things worse. Bitterness will infect your personality and paralyze your ministry. Your speech and actions towards people will be tainted with poison. You may not even see it, but it will be seen by others.

We have to move on. Striving for this in the energy of the flesh is just as bad as perpetually licking wounds. A serious involvement in prayer and Bible principle is the only cure along with God’s grace as time distances you from the injury!

Bottom Line…

Here is the bottom line… Pastor, if it still stings, then you don’t have a scar! If there is no scar, then you still have a wound. If you still have a wound, then you had better see to it that it doesn’t get infected any further and cause you, as well as, others more heartache! Consider this great verse…