The term “bubble” is a useful way to understand some of the pressures that pastoral ministry exerts. This refers to what can be a constant stream of harsh words, corrections, and criticism of the pastor and his decisions. When you throw mud, there is one who throws mud and there is one who now has mud on his face as appropriate. How does a shepherd handle not only the mud that he now has on his face, but also the one who put the mud on? This could be the subject of many positions in the future.
For now, I’d like to leave you a quick note of the Valley of Vision. Initially, he had no shepherds in sight, but all Christians, and how God seems to want each of us to respond when we are corrected. There is no doubt that this marks how pastors should begin to humbly face what can be an avalanche of criticism. Pastors, read and consider their application in the critiques of their lives and ministrys that they face and receive help from:
Show me to accept the reproaches of friends
although I don’t think I deserve them;
Use them to make me very afraid of sin,
more jealous of me
more concerned with keeping his heart and life unproachable;
Have them help me reflect on my lack of spirituality,
Hate me
consider me unworthy
and make them beneficial to my soul.
May all your people know how small, evil and vile I am,
to see that I’m nothing
less than nothing,
not to be taken into account,
to pray for me
and it’s not up to me at all?
My God uses all the hard and painful words that can be said to you this week to frighten you of sin and more eager to live a guilt-free life, as you look at the cross where Jesus Christ declares us perfect and completely accepted. He.