When we moved to Martinsville, we were introduced to the national Christian music radio network KLOVE Radio. There tagline is positive and encouraging. They are a breath of fresh air when it comes to listening to the radio. We also listen to a regional radio network, Spirit-FM. Both networks do a great job of lifting up the listener with great music.
As I started blogging a year ago, I looked at how Wesleyan pastors were using this media. I took my queue from Mark Wilson. Mark’s blog Revitalize Your Church is what I used as a model for my own blog. This past week someone said that I always seem so positive and act like nothing ever goes wrong.
Now anybody who knows our family, know that this has been an interesting year. I have shared some of my struggles. I try to be transparent with my life to show how God is working in my life. Last year, I preached a series based on Casting Crowns’ Lifesong CD. One of the songs on that CD is “Stained Glass Masquerade.” I do feel that it’s important to share struggles, to shatter the stained glass mask. We can struggle through this life. I choose not to concentrate on that. I like to share the good things that are happening. There are many, many, many blogs that bring you down…that show everything thats wrong with the world…everything that’s wrong with the church…That’s not what God has called me to.
Has this past week been a struggle? Yes, this past week I found out a fellow pastor’s church is struggling. A young couple we have been ministering to are moving away sooner than we expected. Just yesterday, we got news that some of our extended family are experiencing difficult medical conditions.
As I write this, I am listening to KLOVE’s internet feed and the Newsboys, “It is You.”
Holy, holy is our Lord God Almighty,
Holy, holy is His name alone.
It is You we adore, only You.
Will we go through struggles? Yes, but God is there…be encouraged…there is hope. Why do I do this? Paul writes, 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.
We serve the God of all comfort. We have a world that needs that comfort. Let’s share the comfort God has given us to others.
