Your Greatest Hurt

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by houston

thought i was over my greatest hurt. apparently not. jack daniel has been helping me get through it lately.

I will be praying for you Houston

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Amanah

My greatest hurt was when I lost my son, my only child in a motorcycle accident.

The way I got thru it was by resolutely committing myself to being disciplined in bible reading, prayer, and going to church even though I felt that God had abandoned me.

I told God that even though I did not feel close to him, and I blamed him for allowing this in my life, I also knew that he was God, and there was no one else I could turn to.

I told him that I would walk by faith putting one foot in front of the other day by day until I could find my way back to a close relationship with him again.

This November 15th will be the 3rd anniversary of Jason’s death.

I am irreparably damaged, but my relationship with God is steady and sure and at times a great comfort to me.

For you see, this is the common condition of humanity, pain, suffering, and eventually the loss of all we hold dear in this world.

In the end it all comes down to you and God and there is nothing else.

Originally Posted by Sarah

Oh Amanah....how my heart goes out to you! We too, lost a son, but it wasn't our only child. If it hasn't even been three years yet, you're still going through the 'fog'....that's the way I describe it, and I'm sure you know what I mean.

I've often said that I don't know how anyone can suffer a loss like that, and come out whole, if they don't know the Lord. Sometimes you just know in your heart that God is there, and cares, even when you don't feel a thing.

You are in my prayers and thoughts....

I am so sorry, and offer prayers for both of you.

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

I am so sorry, and offer prayers for both of you.

thank you, that means a lot to me

[Sister Alvear]

praying for you...What an awesome route you chose...

[pelathais]

Originally Posted by houston

thought i was over my greatest hurt. apparently not. jack daniel has been helping me get through it lately.

You really need to tell us when you're joking.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Not asking details or anything like that just have noticed many have been hurt in different situations...How did you deal with your hurt?

When we look at the NT during the time of Jesus' ministry, what is the greatest hurt that was experienced by those who followed and/or knew him? My answer would be the death of Lazarus. Jesus wept. The only time mentioned he wept. So, I believe that the death of a loved one would be at the top of the list for just about anybody. The answer that immediately popped in my head was the death of my father when I was 12 years old. I was fatherless and no one, and I mean no one, that was a Christian in my extended family came to my aid. I'm over that now, but I will always remember that.

[Jacob's Ladder]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

Not asking details or anything like that just have noticed many have been hurt in different situations...How did you deal with your hurt?

I’ve forgiven him, but I remember every now and then. During my teenage years God began opening various doors in my life, spiritual doors if you will. I still remember the first time God spoke directly to me as a teenager. While in my teenage years I struggled with depression, anxiety and panic attacks. I was prescribed certain medications such as Xanax and Lorazapam, anti-anxiety medications. After the former pastor in the city I reside in passed away, his son-in-law resumed pastor-ship within that church. For the record, he’s still the current pastor there, and he was and is a good man.

When I struggled with these anxiety episodes, he and his wife were always helpful to their best ability. He also knew I had begun taking these medications. Well, God had begun speaking prior to the meds. I myself had no mentor per-se, so I sought the pastor’s counsel. I remember telling the pastor I had a few visions, and God had begun speaking to me and showing me people's circumstances, and these people confessed what God had showed me to be true. Well, I explained this to my pastor at that time and petitioned for his help to grow in these spiritual arenas the Lord has placed me in. The pastor then asked me, “have you been taking your medications?” I became really hurt and never sought his counsel again. How could medications substitute a sovereign work of God? I couldn’t understand how he could have implicated that.

Eventually a few years later I left this church for personal reasons. I have no grudge against this pastor, he’s a good man. I actually saw him this year, shook his hand and chatted with him for a while.

I’ve really never had a mentor per-se to this day, basically God has taught me. I’ve always desired a mentor who’s utilized in the same capacities, to actually seek his/her advice. Sure, there’s no better teacher than God, but sometimes you need an actual person to relate with.

Pastors, if you’re reading this post, don’t ever exclude anyone because of their age, gender, or temporary handicap.
Help them grow, it’s your duty. If you can’t help in a certain spiritual arenas, call someone who can help your congregant. This isn’t about who’s greater than who, it’s about the both of you impacting the kingdom of God, together!

I spoke at a church a few years ago about unity. Not everyone is an arm, leg, finger, etc. You must function in unity as a body. God will not put babies in a dying mother’s womb! The mother must be in perfect health to travail! And so must the church of God.

Also, God healed me from those cursed panic and anxiety attacks years ago. What medication and doctors couldn’t do, God did in 5 seconds.

[mfblume]

I went through a solid year in ministry where I experienced abuse as a pastor from a congregation. My hurt was completely dealt with by going to God, since I had no one else in the world to go to. Wow. Did God ever move. People talk about pastors abusing saints, but never stop to think sometimes pastors are abused by saints, too. I prayed about situations and saw prayers answered the VERY NEXT DAY, over and over again! People would come and make it right. What a time we had that year. I hope I never go through that kind of ordeal again.

[Amanah]

JL

Your post reminded me of something that I experienced. Sometimes well meaning Christians can unwittingly be unwise. There was a young woman who I was teaching bible studies to who had, in the past tried to commit suicide and had a drinking problem.

One night I was at her apartment and was going to give her a ride to church. She told me that she needed to go to an AA meeting. I told her she didnt need AA, just needed to come to church, she had the HG and that was all she needed. She followed my advice and fell off the wagon.

The next time I came to pick her up for church she was dead drunk. I took her to church and we went to the altar and prayed. Never saw her after that. I know that God can fix people "right now." But it doesnt always work that way. Maybe I should have encouraged her to stay in AA. Maybe I didn't give her the right advice. I meant to help her, but somehow it didn't work the way I wanted it to.

It's good that you forgave your former Pastor, I'm betting he meant well, but even Pastors are only human and can fail us.

[Adam]

Interesting discussion, JL & Amanah. For me personally, I have attended church off and on since I was a kid, first a bus kid to a huge new church in our hometown (I don't remember the denom, but it's where I first talked to God "Hey, God, it's me Adam."), then my mom took me to the Episcopal church in another town, then finally, I went with my gf & now wife to her Apostolic church, which I no longer attend for personal reasons. In all those situations, I received the most guidance from the Episcopal church, actually one-on-one directly from the Priest during my confirmation preparation. The Apostolic church experience was always just show up, pay your money, hear the pastor speak, and go home, the end. It was such a shallow experience, I eventually gave up entirely on church and God. Now, I do everything myself, read the word, apply the word, pray, talk with people I know, etc. A church building filled with strangers I never grew up with, a pastor that pretty much just puts on a performance and then won't spend time with me personally, etc. is something I can do without.