“The challenges you are willing to face will rise in proportion to the character you are willing to develop.”
Erwin McManus
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Erwin McManus’ great book, Seizing Your Divine Moment, bore right to the core of my comfort-loving heart some 15 years ago – effectively shattering any sense of self-satisfied complacency. And still, today, it deeply challenges my life each and every time I reread it.
His main point is as simple as it is convicting: You cannot follow God in neutral. To play it safe is to lose the game. Then there’s that heart stabbing quote at the top: the challenges you are willing to face will rise in proportion to the character you are willing to develop. This often comes to mind when I’m about to enter into a challenging peace-making situation – similar to the one I will be facing over the next few days. Truthfully, these are fearful, uncertain situations. It is so normal to think of all the things that could go wrong…and then to ask myself “and just why are you doing this”? The answer: because these are divinely appointed moments that God has privileged me to see Him work!
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In February, we shared with you about a conciliation/peace-making involvement that I (Lou) was asked to begin with a North Carolina church. Over a year prior, they had a difficult separation with a former lead pastor which left both the lead pastor as well as the elder team feeling wounded by the other - and the congregation spiritually and relationally struggling in its aftermath.
Wisely, the elder team concluded that they could not effectively ‘move on’ from this until they, biblically and appropriately, made right where they wronged – both to their pastor as well as to the congregation. Over recent months, these elders have made some biblically hard but life-freeing choices - including personally choosing to forgive those who have wronged them as well to seek forgiveness of those they have wronged.
Now comes the major challenge. This Monday evening, they will be meeting for the first ‘face to face’ since their pastor resigned 21 months ago to, first, seek his forgiveness for some specific wrongs done toward him and then, prayerfully, for some truth in love communication (depending on the pastor’s level of openness). Both “sides” are, understandably, fearful. The tension will be high. Would you consider praying with for me and with me for this meeting? Here are some specific prayer targets:
Please pray for the following:
- For a breakthrough in this pastor’s heart. (A lot of deep resentment; pride and self-deception with a repeated pattern of broken relationships spanning 3 different churches over the past 20 years). Pray Proverbs 25:15, that the tough but tender truth responses from these elders “would crush his strong defensiveness.”
- Pray that God’s Spirit would enable me to facilitate this meeting effectively…especially for the physical; mental and emotional stamina. Pray that I, too, would not react in any way out of ‘my flesh’ but respond with wisdom and gentleness.
- Pray that, through this process, God would increase the greatest of His name and fame within this congregation; throughout their community; and beyond. Sadly, this church is in an area where peace-making like this has been historically absent…and the subsequent collateral damage to the testimony of Christ in the broader community has been extensive.
- Toward this end, pray as well for a genuine spiritual awakening within their city and surrounding communities. I am confident that this church is primed to move forward to become a strong, disciple-making church. It’s exciting to see it begin.
Thank you for the many ways and times you have stood behind us in prayer. With gratitude and anticipation…Lou & Patti
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