Has a minister ever hurt you?

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by jaamez

Yep... I've been hurt before. But these posts seem to sum up how my family and I got through it. I'll even agree with Bro. Epley and his statement that offenses will either make us better or bitter. Letting go of bitterness is hard, but it frees us to hear the voice of God and see the way more clearly. Bitterness is a poison that will kill us - not the person we are bitter over. Bitterness is the burden of the offended and only he/she can lay it down... and it's a choice.

I can't say I'm completely over what happened, but I'm making progress every day. I don't want anything to do with the man, but I don't wish him harm and I hope he repents for what he has done and the lies he told on us. But that's not my problem anymore. I confronted him (the rebuke, as MOADQ said) and he responded with deafening silence. I've accepted, by God's amazing grace, that there's nothing more I can do. It's between God and him. Besides, as Jeff Arnold says, time and truth are best friends.

If I choose to hold onto bitterness, it hinders me from fulfilling my calling, and it harms the overall cause because the world sees all this nonsense going on. I choose to allow the offense to make me better!

Blessings to you, Sis. A for starting this thread. And thank you to so many others for NOT turning this into a "bash the hurting" thread because we have to defend all pastors at all costs. It's not about pastors needing defense as much as it is saints needing an outlet and being able to heal their hearts.

True