God, I want to be better at...

God, I want to be better at…

All throughout Lent Pastor Nate will be sharing reflections on ways to start a conversation with God. These short prayer prompts provide you with a way to begin your prayers on a variety of topics. Today, we think about the ways that we want to improve ourselves.

Often times, it can be really difficult to be confronted by our own inadequacies.

I remember early on in my ministry when I was complaining to a therapist about the people in my congregation at that time. I was listing off all the ways that they were disappointing me; all the ways that they weren’t living up to my hopes and standards and ideals.
I’ll never forget what my therapist said next. She looked me straight in the eyes and said, “Wow, you really don’t love your people, do you?”

It was a very jarring moment. With that one little comment she had held up a metaphorical mirror for me to see how far off I had strayed from the ways a pastor should be acting towards their people. She helped me to see that sometimes, we need to take a step back and recognize how we are playing a role in the things that we are complaining about.

Since then, I think I’ve come a long way. I can still get frustrated at times, but I’m better able to keep things in perspective and remember my larger calling in the midst of frustration. And in other areas of my life as well when I find myself complaining I sometimes remember to take a step back and look for the ways that my actions helped to create my current frustration.

The words of scripture and our relationship with God can be an excellent way of uncovering our own complicity in the matters that trouble us most. Having the humility to talk with God about these moments is often difficult but also can be so liberating. Today, talk with God about the ways that you have played a role in your own frustrations.

God, I want to be better at…

Pastor Nate

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