Messenger Confidentials: Healing Grace

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“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
-Eph. 4:32
The two things I’ve learned are essential in gospel ministry, a pure heart towards God and a tender heart towards men. a heart that shows both the brokenness and a healing grace. A grace that heals and holds a man steady in his course. It is the most important thing I’ve learned working with men and their consequences. It’s easy to get cold and hard and to build walls. In the “raw business” of ministry there are set backs, betrayals, heartache and loss. To pour out your heart and soul and tears and prayers only to see the sin return and take them. Some do not make it back from the world and temptation and pass from this life to next from an overdose or some unexpected tragedy.
It’s easy to distance yourself self and say “they were never really saved”, or “they just didn’t want it bad enough.” To take the attitude well “it’s here for them.” “It’s up to them.” To personally invest in the life and growth of men takes heart and courage. Nobody wants to be hurt. I don’t. Building walls and distancing yourself from men and conflict and suffering and failure is not the answer.
I see this in ministers that are task driven. Its about the building or the ministry or the reputation. If you look at their back trail you find broken and fallen men. The men were a commodity. An account to by drawn out and discarded. An asset to be used, “for the cause!” They will look at you with straight face and say “there’s a ram in the thicket” I’ve actually heard preachers say “they can’t do anything for me why should I give them my time?” People want to limit their investment into something that is going to help and benefit them. I understand. To give of yourself freely is not easy when you know there is no love coming only hardship and false accusation. It makes no sense unless it’s Jesus you intend to obey and please. But it is the heart of the Father and the ministry of Jesus Christ who gave his life a ransom for the souls of men. He was broken and given.
In street ministry there is a high casualty rate. I say this with grief and respect, in the last couple of years six men I poured my heart into passed from this life to the next. I take some comfort in knowing I did my best to encourage and warn them and pray for them but the fact is they are gone. The families mourn the earth groans. Its hard. It hurts. but no cause to be cold or callous and distant. God gives grace to the humble, so let it be known. In every affliction and trial and adversity he gives grace and heals.
If I can encourage anyone or warn anyone it would be to keep your heart clean and your motives pure. To seek the approval of men is a killer. The greatest deliverance for the minister of Christ maybe be deliverance from the opinions of men. Right after the deliverance from your “selfwill.” To seek the Him and the light of his countenance is the language of the Bible. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. His nearness and help. It is a life that pleases God and honours Jesus Christ. If your chief aim and highest goal in this life is to give glory to God you won’t be disappointed. He will meet you at every turn. He will Heal and Comfort you. Jesus heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. “Be ye tenderhearted..” is a work of grace, healing grace.