Monday night is not a time I usually spend in my office. It is either meetings or at home. But this is a busy week. In an unusual turn of events I am presiding over two funerals this week. Funerals take a lot out of me. They are hard, but not for the reason many people expect. I have learned to deal with the sadness of being around people suffering loss. I won't say that goes away but, as a pastor, you need to find some way to deal with it in a healthy manner.
What gets me is the pressure and the pressure comes directly from me. I believe that funerals and memorial services are part of an incredibly important process. It is not just the service itself. There is so much possibility of healing and reconciliation that takes place all around those moments that follow the death of a loved one. I get the honor of being a part of that and I take it about as seriously as I can without being either self-centered or completely burned out.
When it comes to the service itself, I ponder every word, every piece of scripture, every song. I never get it perfect, but I try to do my best. Those who have left us and those who are left behind deserve nothing less.
peace,
will
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