Fear and Friends
I hate not knowing!
Not knowing what will happen down the road is okay when you are on a holiday in a new place is okay. It is what we usually set ourselves up for when we take the adventure.
But not knowing what will happen in real life is uncomfortable. In fact it is scary. From scary it builds to the next level where fear sets in and begins its slow smothering of the vibrancy of life.
I have found that there is one major help for the Fear Factor in life and that is the Friend Factor. When you are up against odds that make no sense – friends make a difference. Oh what a difference that is. I learned that very early in my life and then in my ministry.
Let me illustrate this for you.
When a family lost their child because of a horrible accident – the couple that stood beside them were their friends. We were in the cafeteria of the hospital waiting for the transfer of their only child’s body to the hospital. She had died on the ski hill.
I’ll never forget the words of that poor mom as she sobbed. She fell into the arms of her friend and said, “I couldn’t do this if you hadn’t been here.” The words that the other lady spoke were powerful, “I am here because I am your friend.”
In the darkest moments any person could face God gives friends. They were fashioned by him as he led them through problem upon problem. He fired them in his furnace burning away the dross of their lives. He shaped them through difficulties. Then when they were completely ready – he made them my friends – or your friends.
In another situation I faced a young dad was about to lose everything that he had. He was filled with fear. His relationship with his family had soured over the few years that he had not tried to be who he should have been. He had been less than the person he had said he would be. Things were tough and he was scared stiff.
Together we faced some issues that were eventually dealt with. He started to improve and there was a new daylight. As we set together after many months he looked at me and said some powerful words, “Thanks of being my friend. All the other friends I had gave up on me but you have stuck with me. Thanks.”
It is an honour to be a friend. It comes with the fact that you are prepared by God to do something special.
When Fear Came Knocking
For some that know me better and are closer physically to us they will already have picked up on what I am writing about today. I have faced fear again. For the last few weeks I have written about it in one form or another. Then in the last few days I faced up with it.
It has been necessary to let myself go. I have been freed from the church as the Senior Pastor that I serve in over the last 10 years. The reason is simple, the finances are not there to pay the bills that have been incurred. So together we had to let the staff go…and with that I let myself go as well.
In my case it is kind of an early retirement. In fact it is now 320 days earlier than I thought it would be. For others involved it has been a shock as they will not retire so soon. I have been responsible for their lives and this fact alone adds weight to what we have done.
The odd thing is that we look forward to retirement and what it might bring – even with the unknown. It is just that when it comes this way it is scary. I hate not knowing so fast.
When Friends Come
When the crunch came so did friends. Three people were there when we most needed them. Each had come into our lives when they were facing the tough issues. Each had come with their own complicated life problems. Each had moved from the casual encounter with me to become something very special. Each knew what to say and how to be there.
There were dozens of others that came along side as well.
The one thing that I have slowly recognized is – friends are giving by God until he is ready to personally appear on the scene with the full answer to remove most of the fear.
Yesterday I was surrounded with many friends and much love. Oh how that made a difference. They loved me and my wife.
I took a step yesterday that was gigantic – I let a friend love me when I most needed it. Man did that hug feel good at that moment. In fact there was more than one hug…there were hundreds.
Some came in person. Some came as a smile. Others came with an email. Some came with a FaceBook smile. In the end of the day God had shone his love all over me by friends.
Today I Am Excited…
When the sun rose today I peeked outside again. The air was filled with the smell of the Lilac Tree next door. It was a new day. And guess who was there again? Mr. Robin was singing his heart out.
It is a new day… Praise the Lord!
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
PS - Today is a Day Off – guess where I am going? In a wonderful way I am back in the Hasty Carpenter’s Shop of 1843 in Lang Pioneer Village. I am a re-enacting the role as a carpenter. I am a friend today with about 200 school kids that will come to hear me talk about wood. It is my new job of the day.
Is this what retirement will be…?
If it is… as my Granddaughter Emma says so well… “Oh Yes, Oh Yes, Oh Yes!”
Not knowing what will happen down the road is okay when you are on a holiday in a new place is okay. It is what we usually set ourselves up for when we take the adventure.
But not knowing what will happen in real life is uncomfortable. In fact it is scary. From scary it builds to the next level where fear sets in and begins its slow smothering of the vibrancy of life.
I have found that there is one major help for the Fear Factor in life and that is the Friend Factor. When you are up against odds that make no sense – friends make a difference. Oh what a difference that is. I learned that very early in my life and then in my ministry.
Let me illustrate this for you.
When a family lost their child because of a horrible accident – the couple that stood beside them were their friends. We were in the cafeteria of the hospital waiting for the transfer of their only child’s body to the hospital. She had died on the ski hill.
I’ll never forget the words of that poor mom as she sobbed. She fell into the arms of her friend and said, “I couldn’t do this if you hadn’t been here.” The words that the other lady spoke were powerful, “I am here because I am your friend.”
In the darkest moments any person could face God gives friends. They were fashioned by him as he led them through problem upon problem. He fired them in his furnace burning away the dross of their lives. He shaped them through difficulties. Then when they were completely ready – he made them my friends – or your friends.
In another situation I faced a young dad was about to lose everything that he had. He was filled with fear. His relationship with his family had soured over the few years that he had not tried to be who he should have been. He had been less than the person he had said he would be. Things were tough and he was scared stiff.
Together we faced some issues that were eventually dealt with. He started to improve and there was a new daylight. As we set together after many months he looked at me and said some powerful words, “Thanks of being my friend. All the other friends I had gave up on me but you have stuck with me. Thanks.”
It is an honour to be a friend. It comes with the fact that you are prepared by God to do something special.
When Fear Came Knocking
For some that know me better and are closer physically to us they will already have picked up on what I am writing about today. I have faced fear again. For the last few weeks I have written about it in one form or another. Then in the last few days I faced up with it.
It has been necessary to let myself go. I have been freed from the church as the Senior Pastor that I serve in over the last 10 years. The reason is simple, the finances are not there to pay the bills that have been incurred. So together we had to let the staff go…and with that I let myself go as well.
In my case it is kind of an early retirement. In fact it is now 320 days earlier than I thought it would be. For others involved it has been a shock as they will not retire so soon. I have been responsible for their lives and this fact alone adds weight to what we have done.
The odd thing is that we look forward to retirement and what it might bring – even with the unknown. It is just that when it comes this way it is scary. I hate not knowing so fast.
When Friends Come
When the crunch came so did friends. Three people were there when we most needed them. Each had come into our lives when they were facing the tough issues. Each had come with their own complicated life problems. Each had moved from the casual encounter with me to become something very special. Each knew what to say and how to be there.
There were dozens of others that came along side as well.
The one thing that I have slowly recognized is – friends are giving by God until he is ready to personally appear on the scene with the full answer to remove most of the fear.
Yesterday I was surrounded with many friends and much love. Oh how that made a difference. They loved me and my wife.
I took a step yesterday that was gigantic – I let a friend love me when I most needed it. Man did that hug feel good at that moment. In fact there was more than one hug…there were hundreds.
Some came in person. Some came as a smile. Others came with an email. Some came with a FaceBook smile. In the end of the day God had shone his love all over me by friends.
Today I Am Excited…
When the sun rose today I peeked outside again. The air was filled with the smell of the Lilac Tree next door. It was a new day. And guess who was there again? Mr. Robin was singing his heart out.
It is a new day… Praise the Lord!
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
PS - Today is a Day Off – guess where I am going? In a wonderful way I am back in the Hasty Carpenter’s Shop of 1843 in Lang Pioneer Village. I am a re-enacting the role as a carpenter. I am a friend today with about 200 school kids that will come to hear me talk about wood. It is my new job of the day.
Is this what retirement will be…?
If it is… as my Granddaughter Emma says so well… “Oh Yes, Oh Yes, Oh Yes!”
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Monday, May 26, 2008
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