Has a minister ever hurt you?

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Originally Posted by n david

Yes, been hurt before. Wasn't the first time and likely not the last time. I tend to be too trusting and open.

The only way over this is thru forgiveness; understanding that humans are not perfect and there is and will always be flesh and sin that causes conflict and pain.

There have been, and likely will always be moments when I'm reminded of that past and wince from the hurt it caused. Even with forgiveness and moving forward, there are scars.

Incredibly, however, the worst time of my life brought the best of my life. After a long season of hurt, God brought me thru better and stronger than before. I'm in a better place than I was. I've become wiser and have learned through this experience that while leaders and friends fail you ... God will never fail; He'll never leave; He'll never forsake.

It was that time of my life that brought me closer to God ... and I'm thankful for it.

Originally Posted by Rhoni

Sister Alvear,

I was hurt once, and once a Pastor made me angry.
#1 The Pastor who hurt me: I loved he and his wife and have forgiven them. I know they were young, inexperienced, and were reacting from their own insecurities. It took me two years but I think we go through a certain 'issue' time and again to learn a lesson. We continue to go through it until we pass the test. I passed the test and it is finished.

#2 The Pastor who made me angry: I put it into perspective and consider him to have a God-complex and know he will never be successful. He may for a time, but will be brought low due to his pride. In the scheme of things...he has no effect on my person or life so I filed it in 13.

Pastor's are human. Sometimes we set them up to be more than they are, or many times they set themselves up to be more than they are. Either way...they are human like the rest of us and are subject to making wrong decisions and poor choices.

Hope this answers some of your wondering
Blessings, Rhoni

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.