I’ve always been reluctant to share personal struggles. I remember a time when I decided to open up to a church member, who had become a friend. She sensed something was bothering me and encouraged me to talk about it. I shared with her that I had been feeling very down and was struggling in my relationship with God. I’ll never forget her reaction. She was horrified. In her mind, the fact that I was a pastor was supposed to mean that I no longer struggled with life…much less God. I was speechless. She said it made her feel totally insecure to think that the people she counted on for leadership and guidance didn’t have it all together. I tried to tell her that pastors were just like everyone else with all the requisite dramas and heartaches that go with being human. She literally said, “Oh my God! If the pastors start falling apart, who’s going to take care of the rest of us???” I felt embarrassed and full of regret. Needless to say, I kept my struggles private after that.

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