mgpcpastor's blog

How can a pastor encourage others to trust God unless trust for God is all they have?
Mark Meynell draws on the biblical story of Jacob, who wrestling with God received both a blessing and damaged hip socket to invoke an image of the pastor as wounded healer.

As someone once put it, never trust a leader without a limp. How else can any of us be brought to the end of our selves enough to be forced to throw ourselves on God’s mercy? We’re all too proud and independent to do that by nature. But a limp is hard to hide – and, in fact, does not need to be hidden.
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The importance is simple – leaders who limp are those who are weak and know it, but are not threatened by it, They have no alternative but to trust God. They know they cannot manage on their own; they simply don’t have it in them. And yet, still they lead, and even thrive. For that, only God can take credit. That is how it was always meant to be for anyone in Christian ministry.

Mark Meynell, When Darkness Seems My Closest Friend, Inter-Varsity Press, 2018, pgs 178,179.