Last week, I posted that I was very upset about my church's tweaking of the activity schedule. I felt the leadership there was not considering the needs of the families in the church. That probably was not a fair statement, because knowing those in leadership as I do, I know it is not their desire to break up families.

I was convicted the other night of my bad attitude. Of my pride. It's so easy to get on my high horse and proclaim, "I don't like (this), I don't like (that)! What are they thinking?!" It occurred to me, with shame, that I had not prayed about the situation in any other form than what I wanted to happen. I had not been praying for my pastors. I had not been praying for their wives and families. I had not been praying that they (and the elders) would make wise, godly decisions based on His word and leading.

I still am not thrilled with what's going on, but I'm beginning to see it through new eyes: that those in leadership at our church are just as human as I am, and do just as good a job at making mistakes as I do. They need God's leading just as much as the rest of us, if not more. I also realized that I could be w-w-wr-wrong (boy, that was hard to say).

I'm convinced that satan loves to see churches in turmoil, with members fighting amongst each other and, even better, complaining about (or to) the pastor(s).

I have decided I will not complain to my pastor about the current situation. Instead, I am committing to pray for the next 31 days for my pastor and his wife. As great Christian men and women of old, I am going to pray and wait for God to move in this situation without meddling in it myself (read the stories of George Mueller and Gladys Aylward, for example). Won't I be shocked if the "moving" is done in my own heart!

Please join me in praying for your pastor and his wife. These are people leading the Lord's flock, yet are often the most overlooked when it comes to prayer.