What Bothers You?

The question “What bothers you?” was brought up recently during a sermon I heard from my pastor.  It’s the kind of question that can either stir up some things in you or it can make you shut down because whatever it is that bothers you is dragging you down and you feel helpless to resolve it.

My pastor asked this question after he told the Bible story of Ehud the Benjamite who was under severe Moabite persecution and was bothered enough about it to kill Eglon the Moabite king.   The result was that he was able to fire up the rest of the Israelite people and start an uprising strong enough to defeat Moab and gain the Israelite’s freedom back.   See Judges 3:12-30 for the complete story.  

Ehud was bothered by injustice and persecution but the big difference between him and the other Israelites is that he did something about it.   He may have felt helpless at one point but then mustered up the bravery and took the steps necessary to resolve that which bothered him.  As a result, he gained others who were bothered by the same thing and changed the bothersome situation they were all in.  Leadership is often like that; sometimes it just takes being bothered enough about something enough to make the changes necessary to fix the issue.  The end result generally stirs others to make the changes with you.

In your church, your ministry or personal life, there is probably something that is bothering you. A situation, a decision, a relationship, an individual or group, an ongoing issue or perhaps a personal sin that is bothering you.  It doesn’t even have to be something that is outwardly obvious, it can be something that is hidden in the underbelly of the situation.  Regardless, it’s something that needs to be resolved or it will continue to bother you.  Perhaps, you need to go all “Ehud” on that situation and take a stab at resolving it? 

Bottom Line: Make the changes necessary to resolve whatever it is that is bothering you and more than likely you will not only help yourself but help those around you.  Pray it through and then have the tough conversation, propose that change, make that move, repent from the sin and whatever it is, do it for the glory of God and not for yourself.  Leadership is hard and it requires bravery to make the changes necessary in order to resolve the things that are bothersome.

What bothers you?  Whatever it is, don’t let it linger or it will persecute you.  Take a stab at fixing it and see how God will give you the freedom and peace you long for.

Brian