Wounded Wounders

I have elsewhere written about hibernating ministers. These are ministers who were so wounded that they literally said goodbye to ministry.

Today I want us to look at another category of wounded ministers. And they are the ones who decided to fight back or at the least prove that they were called.

Let me take us to a case on the media and courts of a bishop who is fighting a mistress over child upkeep by asking a question.

Why is he fighting instead of simply repenting? Why is he behaving in the whole thing as the victim? Why does he not address ‘his’ churches and family on the same? Why are the elders and pastors in his ministry not confronting him about his adultery?

I suspect that ‘his’ ministry was the product of a hurt in another ministry. In other words he started that ministry to break from another ministry that he thought was either exploiting or mishandling his calling, if I may call it thus.

He must have sworn never to be subject to anybody else when he establishes any ministry. He therefore ring-fenced himself from any challenge to his leadership. Like another one of his kind said, his church became his kiosk that he runs the way he wants.

I am certain that there is no comparison between what he earns and what his assistant earns since the church is his enterprise.

And that is where problems explode.

Since accountability reminds him of his past injuries in ministry, he is unable to accept or even entertain it. This makes him the absolute authority in whatever he leads. And as always that power corrupts.

That is why a bishop can sleep around and not feel guilty or even under conviction, I guess because in his position he thinks he will be inviting other injuries. He would rather inflict harm than have any directed his way. And nothing opens those doors than saying I am sorry.

What am I saying?

Such characters experience hurt as many of us have. But instead of giving God time to heal them from those injuries, they run off to start ministries to prove to those who hurt or sacked them that they could still minister.

The bishop should repent. Like David said when confronted about his sin,

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalm 51:4)

He should then step aside and allow God time to heal him, especially from those injuries of long ago.

Only then can he be restored to minister God’s grace.

He is not the victim and can never be the victim. It is possible that there are many other sheep that have been eaten by him and his kind who feel entitled to revenge the injuries they got in ministry. All because they have refused to allow God to heal them.

Are you injured? Please give God time to heal you.

You have nothing to prove to God. And nobody else matters anyway.

Will you allow God to heal you? Then stop struggling to prove anything to anybody.

It is God you are serving. And it is to Him you will give an account.

God bless you