'The Trouble With You'
Theme of the Week: Who's at the Controls?
Ben Patterson
Sunday, July 18, 2004
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Who Said It
Ben Patterson is the campus pastor at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He's pastored churches on both the east and west coasts and is the author of several books.
In 1975, Ben confidently launched a new church from the ground floor in Irvine, California. He felt that without the mistakes of predecessors to hamstring his creativity, he and a few friends with like vision could get it right. He recounts what happened in the sixth year that caused him to lose his confidence in himself. What He Said
It came by way of two ruptured lumbar discs. The doctor prescribed six weeks of total rest. The horrible pain prevented me from lying in bed. Those weeks were spent on my back on the floor. My eyes didn't focus well, due to the pain-killers and muscle relaxants. So I could scarcely read.
I was of no use to the church, I thought. So I asked my wife to bring me the pictorial directory. I decided I'd pray for every member every day. It took me nearly two hours. This was no great piety; mainly I was bored and frustrated. But toward the end of my convalescence, I said to the Lord, "You know, these times of prayer have become sweet. It's too bad I don't have time to do this when I'm at work."
"Stupid," the Lord replied pleasantly, "you have the same 24 hours each day when you're well. The trouble with you, Ben, is when you're well, you think you're in charge; when you're sick, you know you're not."
Adapted from Deepening Your Conversation with God (Bethany, 2001) by permission.
Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click
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Christ, I realize I can't both call You Lord and continue to act as manager of my life. I'm ready to submit to Your authority.
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