Gentle Reproof

“Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so you too will not be tempted.” [Gal 6:1]

I had a visitor the other day in my office that needed to share something with me. I could tell they were nervous. I had prayed a good deal about our time together so I would be open to whatever the Lord had in mind. What He had in mind was a gentle reproof about a blind spot in my life.

I know it was not easy for that person to be obedient and the words they shared were not always easy to hear but they were truth motivated by a heart of love. I am ever so aware how easy it is for me to stray into sin and get out of balance. I cannot say the days after the revival have been easy. To be completely honest they have been difficult. Something was expended in me during those weeks that have not fully been recovered.

I know how easy it is for me to get out of balance. I know how easy it is for me to get my head and nose down to the grindstone so much that sin creeps in so subtly I am hardly aware of it. I am thankful for a true follower and servant of Christ to come to me with a heart of love but with a true message from the Lord.

Since that visit I have sat with the Lord to talk about this issue. I have repented and asked the Lord to change my heart on this issue. I will not mention the issue at hand. Some would disagree that it is not that big a deal and others would say I did not make it big enough. Suffice it to say the Lord used His servant to proclaim His truth.

What I am most grateful for is the spirit in which I was confronted. Love and grace abounded along with humbled boldness. Humility and boldness may not seem to go together. They did and they do. I knew from the outset the person talking to me was there only in obedience to God. God does not always call us to easy assignments. There are some assignments it would be easier to shirk.

I feel the Lord softening my heart. During the revival and throughout the summer months, as I prepared for the revival, I felt the prophetic anointing. Much of what took place during those days seems like an out of body experience personally. My days were consumed with prayer, message preparation, and writing blogs. In many ways I still feel I am recuperating.

This is where the Lord really opened my eyes. So much energy was expended during the revival that has never fully been recovered. When I took off the prophetic hat ministry called and I turned right around to put on the pastoral hat. The flock needed me. Since that time there has been numerous hospital visits, counseling sessions, and leadership decisions.

I gave myself permission to do something on Monday I have not done in a long time. I left the office early and went home to an empty house. Brenda was at work and the boys were still at school. I did not turn the television on or listen to any music. I sat in silence and read a book. During those moments I knew I needed to make some serious deposits into my soul. During that time the Lord revealed how depleted my soul was. There were great withdrawals made from my soul during the revival physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The things that replenish my soul are of course prayer and scripture reading. I have been faithful in these areas but not as intensely as during the month of August. I am also refreshed from reading books and writing. Those are two things I have either totally neglected or done very little of.

I have not written anything in these weeks. I mean not one thing. I forced myself to write a blog right after the revival and since then I have not taken up the pen. For those of you have been so faithful to support this blog I ask your forgiveness for neglecting this call on my life. I have had no desire to write in weeks. I have not felt inspired. This is a ministry God has called me to. It is just as important a calling as it is for me to be a pastor. I ask your forgiveness and plead for your prayers that I might take up my post behind this computer. I don’t know if the Lord uses these writings much. I usually do not get much feed back from them. I only know it is a ministry I compelled to complete. I hope to have regular posts in these next days.

I love books. I am passionate about reading and yet that is the one thing in my life I do not give myself permission to do. I busy myself with other things. I usually read a little every morning before coming to the office in addition to reading the Bible. That is usually it. I am too tired at night to read. I feel guilty for reading at the office thinking I should be doing something more productive with my time. I am beginning to realize that reading and renewing my soul through the printed page is extremely productive for myself, and the church. When my soul is renewed and revived then I am more effective for the Lord among the flock whether it be counseling, visiting in the hospital, or preaching.

All of this goes back to my gentle reproof. The bottom line is my life had grown out of balance and I was not even aware of it until someone pointed it out. I slowed down long enough to take a good look and make some crucial changes. My being out of balance had begun affecting every area of my life. It affected me physically. No matter how early I would go to bed I found myself barely able to keep my eyes open during the day at the office. I get up early during the week to work out but my energy level still waned. I would often feel my attitude drifting toward the negative. I found myself wanting to withdraw from people. All of these things were classic symptoms of a life out of balance.

It affected my desire to write and the way I preached. I forgot what a simple pleasure reading is to me and what a therapeutic outlet writing is for me. I have slowed down this week and allowed myself the privilege of reading. I have finished two books already and am half way through two more. Reading is one of the primary ways I am fed in order to stay nourished to keep feeding the sheep here.

I cannot tell you what a blessing that gentle reproof in my office has proven to be. I know it was not easy to do but God has used it for much good. So I want to encourage all of you whom the Lord is calling to do the same thing to follow through. God will help you say what needs to be said and the Holy Spirit will use those words to accomplish His purposes in the lives of those you are supposed to talk to.

I have been out of balance for a long while. I am glad the Lord has me set back on the right track. It feels good to be back behind this computer typing away on the keyboard. I belong here. It is my sweet spot. I ask you to pray for me as I continue to seek the Lord to restore balance to my life. Thank you God for the one you sent to me to give gentle reproof to get me back on the right track.