SHEEP BITES

It is inevitable that we shepherds will have the sheep turn on us. When that happens our response can be critical to our own spiritual health much less the health of the herd.

We can respond like I did for many years. I was brilliant at substituting rationalization for reconciliation. Some of the rationalizations sounded like this: "They are just having a bad day." "The enemy is alive and well in the church." "This is the life of a pastor, so just get over it." "It isn't about me." "I am spiritually mature, so I can handle it." "It comes with the territory." "Being a leader means being misunderstood."

While all these statements have some truth, the reality is this: I was wounded and hurt and needed to forgive. In stead of spiritually sweeping it under the rug I needed to face the fact that I was hurt and needed to take healthy steps toward reconciliation.

Unfortunately for many years I failed to do this and the sun subtly kept going down on my anger. As we know this is dangerous territory for giving satan a foothold. It took me 14 years to figure this out, when all the anger and hurt bubbled to the surface of my life. Needless to say it wasn't a pretty picture. Now I am able to keep an up to date heart.

How are you handling those sheep bites in your life? Have you found your own ways of sweeping those bites under your spiritual rug?