At times our desire for what we want prevents us from being thankful for what we have. Recently I received an interesting email about encouragement and being thankful.

 

 

Our pastor admitted to the congregation his frustration at its lack of enthusiasm. Whenever he shared an amazing story from the Bible, many just sat there. He desperately wanted all of us to know the same excitement he felt. So he decided to tell his own story.

 

At 8-years-old, after school he would visit the elderly lady who lived next door. She always had cookies and made time for him. As he ate, she read the Bible. His family never went to church, but he loved hearing her read. Each day after school he returned and each day she read to him.

 

Then one day he discovered she had died. He found her sitting peacefully in a rocking chair, the Bible still open on her lap. With passion he spoke of the impact she had on his life and the excitement of the Bible she had brought to him. He looked across expressionless faces in the congregation, and his discouragement sank even further. So I decided to write him a letter. 

 

Dear Pastor,

 

When you were 8 and listening to your neighbor read her Bible to you, what do you imagine the expression on your face was like? Were you looking down at your cookies...watching her face intently...or looking out the window? Would you get all excited about what she was saying or were you quietly soaking it all in, perhaps to ponder on later?

 

Whatever your expression, she was making a huge impact on your life by reading the Truth to you. Perhaps no matter what the expressions are on the faces of your congregation, you are making a huge impact on their lives, whether it is at that moment or sometime later.

 

Even if she read something you remembered from another time, did that change the impact any? The Truth is always fresh and revealing. You have a remarkable gift of taking the Word and bringing it home to our lives. It doesn't matter if we've read the entire Bible several times or if we've just begun to learn, you are able to bring something new to every sermon.

 

When people don't appear excited, don't be discouraged. You are doing a fantastic job teaching and leading. The amount learned or followed is not on you, but on your congregation.

 

When you look out at your congregation as you preach, pretend we are a group of 8-year-olds and preach on until He calls you home. You are, indeed, making an impact! You are impacting my husband and me. God led us here and He would not have done that if He wasn't pleased with you and where the church is headed. He brought us here to help. So, be encouraged!

 

And he was! He replied shortly after, greatly encouraged and thankful.

 

Scarlett

 

 

The desire for others to share our passion for God can blind us to the condition of those who walk with us along the Way. Sometimes they follow, sometimes they lead. Be thankful and do not miss what is often right before your eyes-people who hear...people who care...people who encourage one another.