Thoughts Provoked

I've been posting some of these to Facebook & Twitter.  Quotes from "The Art of Pastoring" by David Hansen.  I attended a workshop by David last year and got to talk to him.  He is an incredibly thoughtful and humble man and God is teaching me much through his writing.  Here are some choice quotes from my recent reading.

"The best and the most talented in the pastoral ministry and in denominational hierarchies harm themselves and harm the church most through their unrestrained ego and unwillingness to step off the high places. ...ego sin kills the church." (pg. 27)

"The pastoral ministry is much, much harder for those who do not deny themselves and pick up their cross"  (pg. 28)

"God uses suffering to perfect his servants--even his own Son."  (Heb 5:8)  (pg. 35)

"At issue is self-denial.  Those who will suffer self-denial are parables of Jesus and are pastors.  Those who will not are hierlings and thieves."  (pg 35)

"For the pastor's heart, the love of God precedes love for people, exceeds love for people, and guides the pastor in love for people."  (pg. 37)

"The fact that we are called by God to love a particular person does not mean that the recipient of love will like it.  The specific, concrete love of God will often require us to love people who do not want our love in the way God requires us to offer it.  The love of God to sinners...is always the gracious demand to repent."  (pg. 38)    [I love this quote!  It really spoke to me tonight in one of the areas I have been struggling.  He continues...]   "Every time the parishioner winces ever so slightly, we want to stop pastoring."   [YES, you got it!  This really spoke to my heart!]

"As kierkegaard says, the pastor must "above all be able to put up with all the rudeness of the sick person without letting it upset him, any more than a physician allows himself to be disturbed by the curses and kicks of a patient during an operation." "   [Yes, again.  I let the rudeness and rejection upset me.  Oh that I would learn this!]

"Enduring this abuse is quite necessary.   No pastor in his or her right mind likes it."

"Enduring is never a triumph.  It just happens."             (pgs 38-39)

I love how the Holy Spirit gives me exactly what I need.  In these passages are the answers to so much that has been chewing on my heart and getting me down.  It doesn't mean that I'm back up yet, but I'm facing the right way and feeling God's presence, God's love, and God's joy start refilling my heart.