VOIDS

The big gullies of loneliness that comes over our lives at times. Not the same as being alone.

They can really be hard on the system too. Because you can feel so isolated and abandoned even in a crowd.

This can even happen when with family or friends. It is the sense of not being cared over and how nobody thinks of you in any positive way.

I have battled with this feeling on many occasions. And it is amazing how often it is more acute in the company of others.

It is as if every thing that happens in such situations makes you feel totally unwanted. For me that happens more in church settings than anywhere.

The reason is because I have higher expectations from such settings . Which is complicated by the illusion created that you will be loved in those environments.

Only problem is that it never works out that way. Because in all fairness can we really and honestly love strangers like our spouses or family?

I do believe it is what the Lord would want. And he wouldn't have mentioned it if we would have done it naturally.

So some give it a token effort. Because it does help to stem the feelings of guilt. Just doesn't change the fact that it doesn't come from the heart.

And that is the part, which others can sense. Now admittedly we are all different. So that means some are naturally going to be more loving than others.

How much it will be felt by strangers I can say. I just know that I prefer honestly to false love.

I would much prefer to deal with a person who treats me with sincerity rather than being all smiles and in reality they don't actually care. At least you don't get disappointed.

A friend of mine once observed how often it seemed that pastors who were great teachers were often not good caring pastors. And the opposite was true too.

I can't say if this is true. I just know that I have seen big differences in leaders. Some are more gifted with knowledge, other with the more talent for ministering to people's needs.

I don't think this is a bad thing. Just the nature of ministry. And one that doesn't have to leave us feeling a void, if both pastor and members reach out as God intends.