Self-Truths On The True Self

Once again, I wasn't sure what this morning's prayer would look like until the Spirit brought to my remembrance Pastor's message yesterday morning. Speaking on living a life of love, He used the passage from Mark, where Christ boils down the Ten Commandments into two. And in these two simplified commands, were three parties we are to love. The first, what I want to highlight on this #seniorPastorMonday.

Obviously, we are to love God with all four aspects of our being (emotions, will, intellect and physical). And we are to love our neighbor as our self.

We can not give what we don't have.
We can not offer to others what we have not experienced for ourselves.
We can not help from a lower position... we must do so from a position of strength.

Which got me thinking... how many pastors are struggling because they are having a difficult loving themselves?
There's a difference between looking in the mirror and liking the person that looks back out you, confident in who are, especially in light of Christ versus looking at yourself through your cars' rearview mirror and thinking you are better than ever other person on the road of life.

Yet, if you are battling your own weaknesses; suffering from a flawed image that is perhaps the culmination of years of neglect and mistreatment during ministry, then you will no doubt have difficulty expressing the love of Christ, let alone, a friendly, brotherly, neighborly love to anyone new because you don't feel there is any worth in your self from which you operate.

How will I see the positive in you if I can't see the positive in my self?
How will I share the truth of God if I don't see His truth in my life?
How will I share the love of Christ to you, if I don't experience His love for me?
How will I show grace if I don't receive grace?
How will I believe for the miraculous if I haven't witnessed the same?

Neither will a pastor experience victory if they wake up feeling defeated.
Neither will a pastor witness growth if they aren't rising to the challenge
Neither will a pastor accomplish much for the kingdom of God if they feel unable to conquer the world; regardless of whether they acknowledge the truth of "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength."

So, pray with me, this #seniorPastorMonday, for pastors on the verge of breaking mirrors. For those frustrated by who they feel they have become; inferior, worthless, unqualified, incapable... whatever it may look like; pray God breaks down the  negative spirit. May they remember, as we sung yesterday, that we are no longer slaves to fear, but we ARE a child of God. Pray God would restore a spirit of confidence within them; that He is with them and for them and therefore, who can be against them. Pray they would be reminded; that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ; that there is power, truth and healing for their lives at the feet of Jesus. Pray the power of the Word of God would accomplish the miraculous; as God illuminates and renews their mind anew and afresh. May the fire within them be rekindled; whereby they would once again be able to love God; will all their heart, soul, mind and strength... and just as importantly, love their neighbor as their self.

A child of God
By the grace of God
For His glory.

- PNC

---