In The Middle of the Muddle
It would be foolish to think that after we experience a great change in our lives with the Sin being taken away – everything will always be wonderful.
That is the problem I face in the “spiritual service industry” (SSI). (That’s my way of describing everyday pastoral work.) I am called upon when people are facing crisis or complications. A few call when they are on top of it all or have experienced some wonderful revelation. Ordinary living by most people doesn’t require too much intervention on my part as a minister.
Having said that, there are two highlights for the - SSI (“spiritual service industry”) are weddings and funerals. Both events are tremendous and a blessing to be involved in helping families.
It is however, the ordinary days in between that need help more than all the other highs and lows. It is the everyday things that need the greatest strengthening.
Yesterday I listened to another minister share some poignant thoughts dealing with a stressful life that we all face. He referred us to Ecclesiastes 3:3-5 – where the writer states there is ....
3. a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5. a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain
There are twelve things that are mentioned here. Six sets actually each with two distinct thoughts to consider. It pretty much describes the life of an average person. It is living in the ordinary days.
Ordinary days need a balance. When there are extreme things with one event – there is a balancing “something” to that event. At least there should be.
Real Life…
Real life has its ups and downs. There are times when we laugh and times when we cry. Each is connected in some way to memories – the “then” and with the making of memories – the “now”.
My friend yesterday spoke of the need that we all have to seek some laughter to balance out the other stuff that always comes our way.
Personally that is my number one need most of the time. When I have days filled with mostly painful stories, I need to find the pockets of laughter.
Let me illustrate this further with a real story.
This past Wednesday was difficult for me. I was drawn further into some very complicated and painful discussions with a major office conflict. A number of the office staff had been asking for help. I accepted the role that I was asked to do and attempted to help by listening to a number of the people involved. The crisis points to one person’s personal problems. There however is not going to be an easy answer.
The weight that I have felt coming from the different meetings with members of the staff has been overwhelming at times. Wednesday was a day that almost buried me. Thursday followed with huge weights of its own. By Thursday evening I thought I would be smothered by what was happening around me.
(If you were not depressed before you began reading this – you may be now.)
The words that my friend spoke of on Thursday AM about laughter hit home deeply. Stress had again taken its complete toll. I was almost unable to breathe let alone function properly.
Then I heard my wife laughing. She had found something that was very funny and was giggling on her own. I listened to her account and began to grin too.
On Wednesday evening, we visited some special friends that have gone through some difficult times in their family and in their personal lives. We shared with them and were blessed. What we shared was laughter… belly rolling laughter – sometimes about the silliest things. That laughter and the things we talked about had stuck with me into the next day and was provided as a great help to the weight I was under.
Without knowing it I was being ministered to by the laughter. The stress was relieved and the weight was decreased.
Now to Peace…
Peace as I described it earlier is something that seems euphoric and fleeting for some. If it there is not a perfect setting for it we will never achieve it.
Peace is more than euphoric for me… it is pain mixed with laughter, it is everyday living and coping with that life that I live. It is realizing that I am okay in the middle of the muddle.
Isaiah 26:2-4
2 Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
~ Pastor Murray ~
That is the problem I face in the “spiritual service industry” (SSI). (That’s my way of describing everyday pastoral work.) I am called upon when people are facing crisis or complications. A few call when they are on top of it all or have experienced some wonderful revelation. Ordinary living by most people doesn’t require too much intervention on my part as a minister.
Having said that, there are two highlights for the - SSI (“spiritual service industry”) are weddings and funerals. Both events are tremendous and a blessing to be involved in helping families.
It is however, the ordinary days in between that need help more than all the other highs and lows. It is the everyday things that need the greatest strengthening.
Yesterday I listened to another minister share some poignant thoughts dealing with a stressful life that we all face. He referred us to Ecclesiastes 3:3-5 – where the writer states there is ....
3. a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5. a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain
There are twelve things that are mentioned here. Six sets actually each with two distinct thoughts to consider. It pretty much describes the life of an average person. It is living in the ordinary days.
Ordinary days need a balance. When there are extreme things with one event – there is a balancing “something” to that event. At least there should be.
Real Life…
Real life has its ups and downs. There are times when we laugh and times when we cry. Each is connected in some way to memories – the “then” and with the making of memories – the “now”.
My friend yesterday spoke of the need that we all have to seek some laughter to balance out the other stuff that always comes our way.
Personally that is my number one need most of the time. When I have days filled with mostly painful stories, I need to find the pockets of laughter.
Let me illustrate this further with a real story.
This past Wednesday was difficult for me. I was drawn further into some very complicated and painful discussions with a major office conflict. A number of the office staff had been asking for help. I accepted the role that I was asked to do and attempted to help by listening to a number of the people involved. The crisis points to one person’s personal problems. There however is not going to be an easy answer.
The weight that I have felt coming from the different meetings with members of the staff has been overwhelming at times. Wednesday was a day that almost buried me. Thursday followed with huge weights of its own. By Thursday evening I thought I would be smothered by what was happening around me.
(If you were not depressed before you began reading this – you may be now.)
The words that my friend spoke of on Thursday AM about laughter hit home deeply. Stress had again taken its complete toll. I was almost unable to breathe let alone function properly.
Then I heard my wife laughing. She had found something that was very funny and was giggling on her own. I listened to her account and began to grin too.
On Wednesday evening, we visited some special friends that have gone through some difficult times in their family and in their personal lives. We shared with them and were blessed. What we shared was laughter… belly rolling laughter – sometimes about the silliest things. That laughter and the things we talked about had stuck with me into the next day and was provided as a great help to the weight I was under.
Without knowing it I was being ministered to by the laughter. The stress was relieved and the weight was decreased.
Now to Peace…
Peace as I described it earlier is something that seems euphoric and fleeting for some. If it there is not a perfect setting for it we will never achieve it.
Peace is more than euphoric for me… it is pain mixed with laughter, it is everyday living and coping with that life that I live. It is realizing that I am okay in the middle of the muddle.
Isaiah 26:2-4
2 Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.
3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.
~ Pastor Murray ~
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Friday, October 13, 2006
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