From Pastor Lee
February 4, 2024
When Facing Something Unpleasant or Something We Don't Feel Sure About
Some years ago, I remember going as a new patient to a doctor so that I could get my annual physical over with. The previous year I had had a “bad” experience with one doctor and had decided to find myself a new one as my primary care physician. By the end of my first visit with the new doctor, I knew he was a doctor I really liked. Probably I liked him so much because he listened and didn’t immediately want to run all sorts of tests on me as I shared my concerns of being overweight with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. I told him I was aware I needed to eat better and exercise more but what sort of got to me was when he asked me, more than once during the visit, if I ever experienced tightness or pain in my chest. I kept telling him, “No,” which was true. I think that he finally sensed my frustration with his asking me repeatedly so that he told me that I might be surprised how many husbands in their early 40s have tightness or discomfort in their chest but are too afraid to let even their wives know. I know I probably confessed to him that yes, I tend to think that if I ignore something like a pain or discomfort it will go away as if it didn’t exist. That is how some things in life are handled (or not handled) sometimes by folks when facing something unpleasant or something we don’t feel sure about. I think the same is true for some when it comes to a congregation seeking to “discern” whether our local congregation should stay or leave the denomination, hoping that if it isn’t mentioned then maybe, just maybe, it will all go away. Truth is, it will not simply go away. The subject will come up again, and so instead of hoping things will work out on their own (which they will not), we need to shift our focus to how we will address it. My prayer and hope are that we would surely listen very carefully to each other, and that in our dealings with each other and those outside the church we would not be condescending or allow this situation to drive us apart or away from one another and the church. I ask that we be careful not only in how we present ourselves and what we have to say, but that we should be careful with what we present from all the blogs, articles, videos, etc. that we read and listen to. I say that because there is much misinformation (on both sides). Sad to say that it is much like the news media in our nation today when it comes to politics. There is so much written (and spoken in videos) that it can be overwhelming, and honestly much of what is written is skewed or half-truths. Having said all that, I am available to listen and attempt to answer any questions as best as I can. It is not easy writing what I just wrote to you, but I deeply love and care about ALL of you. I will continue praying over this and over you. I also pray that we never lose our focus on Jesus and who he calls to be.
Love, Pastor Lee
