My spirit is broken this afternoon.
I've endured my share of accusations in life; ministers have more than any of us would want to admit. But this afternoon, the accusations have been much more veiled and come from a fellow minister often enough that I simply grieve at how to respond.
"The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51.17). When to do the will of God means that even my Christian brethren will not understand and I remember that "neither did Jesus' brothers believe in him" (John 7.5) and I bow my head to obey and accept the misunderstanding -- this is my brokenness this afternoon. When I am misrepresented or deliberately misinterpreted, and I remember that Jesus was falsely accused, but He "held his peace" (Matthew 26.63); and I bow my head to accept the accusation without trying to justify myself -- this is my brokenness this afternoon. When another is preferred before me and I am deliberately passed over, and I remember that those around Jesus cried, "Away with this man, and release Barabbas to us" (Luke 23.18) and I bow my head to accept the rejection -- this is my brokenness this afternoon.
When in order to be right with my God it is necessary to take the humbling path of confession and restitution, and I remember that Jesus "did not look to his own interests" and "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross" (Philippians 2.7, 8) and I bow my head and am ready to accept.
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others" (Philippians 2.3-4).
I've endured my share of accusations in life; ministers have more than any of us would want to admit. But this afternoon, the accusations have been much more veiled and come from a fellow minister often enough that I simply grieve at how to respond.
"The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51.17). When to do the will of God means that even my Christian brethren will not understand and I remember that "neither did Jesus' brothers believe in him" (John 7.5) and I bow my head to obey and accept the misunderstanding -- this is my brokenness this afternoon. When I am misrepresented or deliberately misinterpreted, and I remember that Jesus was falsely accused, but He "held his peace" (Matthew 26.63); and I bow my head to accept the accusation without trying to justify myself -- this is my brokenness this afternoon. When another is preferred before me and I am deliberately passed over, and I remember that those around Jesus cried, "Away with this man, and release Barabbas to us" (Luke 23.18) and I bow my head to accept the rejection -- this is my brokenness this afternoon.
When in order to be right with my God it is necessary to take the humbling path of confession and restitution, and I remember that Jesus "did not look to his own interests" and "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross" (Philippians 2.7, 8) and I bow my head and am ready to accept.
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others" (Philippians 2.3-4).