Times when shepherds feel burdened
Sometimes, there are occasions when shepherds become puzzled while serving their house church. It is after a house church member accepts Jesus, become baptised, then lives a good life of faith, and then one day suddenly stops coming to house church meetings and stops attending Sunday Worship Service. When asked why, the member says there are no big issues and they will sort it out on their own. When shepherds encounter these types of events, they feel shocked, lose energy and become exhausted.
But, we should never stop or give up. Remaining a shepherd is hard work, but there is no greater task than saving and building up people. Shepherding is different from missionaries. Missionaries can travel and return but there is no traveling for shepherds. Shepherds need to hold on to one person and wrestle with them until they are able to stand on their own. Sweat and tears must flow, and only when blood is pouring, we will be able to establish a soul.
To the shepherds who are trying to build up a soul, I say that this is the very essence of being a shepherd. I have never seen a case where a person’s faith matures on its own without any twists and turns. In our church, there have been cases where members received Jesus, cried during their Baptism testimonies, and then left the church. After crying that they could not live without the Lord, there have been people who sold out on all their faith. I have seen people say that they have cut off their return back to the world, but have then blocked their own way to worship service.
But, let’s take a look at ourselves. Let’s think about after we started believing in Jesus. Have we matured in our faith in a straight path? Just like Peter, who followed Jesus for 3 years, but then denied knowing Jesus 3 times, how often has our own faith gone up and down? Have you ever made a decision to obey and to devote yourself to God, but had many times when it didn’t work out? Have you confessed that you would live according to the laws of the kingdom of God, but then tried to find your own way in life because of your limited self esteem?
Even when the Lord was shepherding us, his insides would have been charred from burning. It would have been the same when a shepherd was shepherding and building us up. Truly, to build up a soul, it cannot be done without burning inside. It would feel as though our heart is frustrated. This is the essence of house church. However, the energy spent in serving that soul is never in vain. The Lord knows all your deeds, He will wipe away all your tears and He will repay you for everything.
This column was written with reference to the writing of Pastor Youngjin Bae.
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수정교회 번역팀 2022.01.29 15:32
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Sometimes, there are occasions when shepherds become puzzled while serving their house church. It is after a house church member accepts Jesus, become baptised, then lives a good life of faith, and then one day suddenly stops coming to house church meetings and stops attending Sunday Worship Service. When asked why, the member says there are no big issues and they will sort it out on their own. When shepherds encounter these types of events, they feel shocked, lose energy and become exhausted.
But, we should never stop or give up. Remaining a shepherd is hard work, but there is no greater task than saving and building up people. Shepherding is different from missionaries. Missionaries can travel and return but there is no traveling for shepherds. Shepherds need to hold on to one person and wrestle with them until they are able to stand on their own. Sweat and tears must flow, and only when blood is pouring, we will be able to establish a soul.
To the shepherds who are trying to build up a soul, I say that this is the very essence of being a shepherd. I have never seen a case where a person’s faith matures on its own without any twists and turns. In our church, there have been cases where members received Jesus, cried during their Baptism testimonies, and then left the church. After crying that they could not live without the Lord, there have been people who sold out on all their faith. I have seen people say that they have cut off their return back to the world, but have then blocked their own way to worship service.
But, let’s take a look at ourselves. Let’s think about after we started believing in Jesus. Have we matured in our faith in a straight path? Just like Peter, who followed Jesus for 3 years, but then denied knowing Jesus 3 times, how often has our own faith gone up and down? Have you ever made a decision to obey and to devote yourself to God, but had many times when it didn’t work out? Have you confessed that you would live according to the laws of the kingdom of God, but then tried to find your own way in life because of your limited self esteem?
Even when the Lord was shepherding us, his insides would have been charred from burning. It would have been the same when a shepherd was shepherding and building us up. Truly, to build up a soul, it cannot be done without burning inside. It would feel as though our heart is frustrated. This is the essence of house church. However, the energy spent in serving that soul is never in vain. The Lord knows all your deeds, He will wipe away all your tears and He will repay you for everything.
This column was written with reference to the writing of Pastor Youngjin Bae.