Unexpectedly Difficult

I’m not exactly sure when I first put the pieces together that leading is difficult…even when we think it’s going to be difficult.

Big things are difficult:

• Turnaround churches
• Planting churches
• Focusing on the future…those outside the church…and not the past. Not just us.

Difficult!

And all more difficult than I might have imagined.

Seemingly small things are also difficult:

• Discovering vision
• Prioritizing congregational worship
• Discipling people

I never thought those could be difficult.

Maybe you feel that way, too, in your own role and place. Some things that you never thought would be difficult are much more difficult than you could have imagined.

Difficult is not bad. Just…difficult.

And character building?  

I suppose Paul thought that when he was:

• Chased out of Damascus and Jerusalem
• Deserted by John Mark
• Conflicted with Barnabas

Interesting…Holy Week 2018… A simple reflection…

[bctt tweet=”The One who sends us was the One who was sent.” username=”pliexperience”]

Difficult for Jesus:

• Judas’ betrayal
• Peter’s denial
• Herod’s or Pilate’s mockery

Beating…Nails…Cross…Suffering…”Forsaken”…Death.

It was difficult but not surprising!

Substitute offered. Atonement.

He’d told the disciples over and over again not to be surprised.

“The Son of Man must….”

So, for you in these days of worship and remembering… Remember the Resurrection, too!

Finally, a simple word of thanks from me to you. For leading and for serving. For living your life with integrity. And…for whatever the difficult stuff you’re facing right now (…and some of it’s not fair).  

Thanks for weathering that, too. Expected or not. Thanks.

The One who sends us was the One who was sent.

The Son of Man knowingly came to offer the sacrifice and claim the victory. For you.