We All Need Somebody
Written: January 18th, 2018
Today has been a very special day. It’s going to sound minor, but I’m thrilled that I’ve not had to take a Valium all day long. My doctor has increased my meds in hopes of keeping the edge off of my nerve pain. And it appears to be working. Today is the first day in 7 days I’ve not needed to take a Valium.
Tomorrow I head to see my Christian counselor for like the 20th time in the past year. I’ve been long overdue for another visit. During our times together I get a lot off my chest. Things I really don’t want to burden those I love with anymore. I’m open, I’m honest and I find that to always be the beginning of my healing.
My counselor is great because he doesn’t try to fix me. Nor, does he treat me like I’m crazy because I’m grieving through my present health issues. He just listens and shares encouraging words of truth when necessary. I always leave better than I walked into his office. Even if I spend the entire hour crying my eyes out it’s still such a relief to have a safe place to share, be human, and be loved no matter what I say.
These venues are not easy to come by for most of us. In fact, for the longest time I felt like as a pastor I shouldn’t need a counselor. Then I grew wiser and realized that I might need one even more than some others. I’m often not just carrying my own cross, but in my heart the hardships of hundreds. God made one thing very clear to me at the beginning of this year. You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup. You’ve got to have others pouring into you if you hope to keep pouring into others.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17