Today I had the opportunity to reflect on how God has intersected with my life and taken me to places that I did not want to go but places that made an extreme difference in my life. I wanted to be an orthodontist but ended up as an army officer then a pastor. I wanted to be a father but that did not work out and I had to settle for being a dad. I wanted to go to Hawaii and he took me to Misawa, Japan where I adopted my daughters. I wanted to teach third grade, he wanted me to listen. I thought my life was ruined when I was divorced and he showed be a new life beyond my wildest expectations. So many times when I was in the Army he put me in the right place to use the gifts he gave me. He sent me to Bethel to use the gifts he gave me and to pass on the lessons I had learned in my faith journey.
Today I wonder how many of us go through life trying to do things our way and being satisfied with what we can forge for ourselves. It took me a long time to realize that my vision for myself was so limited and so self-centered. Life is so much different today. I do not try to please others, or even myself; in what I do I try to please God. And you know what -- it may seem a daunting task but it is not. I have begun to realize that there are some things I can do and some things I am not so good at. And if I can just focus on doing the best I can at all that I do, God will not ask any more of me.
I wonder how many of us try to be the best persons we can. I wonder how many of us focus on being the best spouse we can be. I wonder how many of us focus on being the best parent we can be. And as we do all that, I wonder if we realize how God is leading us AND how we resist!
Stay tuned, there will be more to come.
Dear Pastor,
ReplyDeleteReally? Seriously? Maybe for Lent you should give up wondering "how many of us" try our best and start thinking about how earnestly you try your best. Less lecturing of "us" based on your life "wisdom" is greatly hoped.
Dear Anonymous,
DeleteReally? Seriously?
Pastor originates from herdsman or shepherd. Definition of shepherd is "One who cares for and guides a group of people, as a minister or teacher." The operative word being "cares".
As a sheep in the flock of this Pastor I don't agree. As the shepherd he is meant to lead us. If he stood by watching us lead a life without God he probably wouldn't be much of a Pastor. If he didn't feed us with his thoughts and inspirations and hope we apply when needed he wouldn't be doing what God leads him to do. Just more food for thought.
Thank you for the call to accountability. There may be more people in the congregation who may be concerned that I think I am perfect and also do not believe I try my best.
DeleteI am truly sorry that you feel that way because I do not think I am perfect at all. Fact is: I know I have not handled everything at Bethel as well as I might have. But for those instances that I know about, I have asked forgiveness and tried not to repeat the mistake. But I do try my best to do what God is calling me to do and that is not going to stop.
I am not sure how I have hurt you or what Is going on in your life but if you want to let me know who you are and if you are willing, I would love to talk with you. In the absence of that I am not sure what more I can do other than pray for you.