Posted on February 21, 2011, 3:59 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
With Jesus Beside Still Waters
By Bill Gaultiere © 2011
We’ve been providing care, counsel, and prayer to pastors and other servants of Christ for a number of years. One of the most important things we do is help them to rest in God.
Every pastor and ministry leader I know — starting with the one that looks back at me in the mirror! — needs more of the rest of soul that Jesus offers us in his embrace (Matthew 11:28-30). Probably this is true for you as well.
How easy it is to be so busy with God’s work and caring for people that you neglect your own [...]
Continue reading Ministry Begins with Rest
Posted on November 12, 2010, 2:51 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
Psalm 1 gives us a vibrant picture of what our life with God can be like. Do you know this Psalm that introduces the church’s life of prayer? It begins, “Blessed is the man who…”
The first thing we need to know when we begin the first of the 150 Psalms is that Jesus is the perfect Psalm 1 Man. He fulfilled the righteous life and the prophecies of this Psalm and all of the Psalms. And he offers for us to be his students in his school of prayer. Jesus is our Teacher, the Psalms are our text, and daily life [...]
Continue reading Be Like the Psalm 1 Man
Posted on November 4, 2010, 9:24 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
“Cease from anger” the Psalmist counsels us (Psalm 37:8). Throughout the Bible we are cautioned about our anger. And many Psalms, particularly the Laments, show us how to deal with anger in a wise and godly way. But it seems that few Christians today understand their anger or what to do with it.
Anger is a God-given emotion. We feel angry when our will is crossed, when we’re afraid that we won’t get what we want. Anger is like a headache: it signals to us that something is wrong and needs attention. Maybe you’re not saying no to someone or something when it [...]
Continue reading Why Get Angry?
Posted on August 21, 2010, 5:07 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 2010
When someone criticizes you are you defensive? Or do you get angry? Many people I talk to have a hard time responding to criticism because they take it inside and feel bad or they protect themselves by shutting down emotionally, which leaves them isolated and depressed.
I can relate. For much of my life I felt inadequate whenever someone criticized me. So I put pressure on myself to succeed and to try to get people to think well of me. That created a lot of anxiety!
I have learned another way. It’s expressed in a favorite little prayer of mine [...]
Continue reading Use Your Christ Shield
Posted on June 8, 2010, 10:41 pm, by Bill Gaultiere.
By Bill Gaultiere © 1992
I spent seven years in my own psychotherapy, getting help with anxiety and depression, learning how to express my feelings better and receive the soul care that I needed. I needed help to get free of my false self and come alive as my true self.
My therapist was “Christ’s Ambassador” to me (2 Corinthians 5:20) and God found me at the bottom of the old well and set me free to be me!
In 1992 I wrote about my personal struggle of going through therapy in my prayer poem: “Becoming ‘I’.” My experience was very much like David’s in Psalm 40:1-5:
“I waited patiently for the [...]
Continue reading Becoming “I”
