In my final Doctor of Ministry class, I presented the final devotional of the week. I raised two questions. What does the Bible tell us was the same about Jesus’ body after his resurrection? How do the Scriptures portray what was no longer the same about Jesus body?

Jesus’ resurrection body bore the scars of his crucifixion. However, while the scares remained their ability to function was changed. With his resurrection body, Jesus had full use of his hands, feet, and side. Those wounded places were now transformed into something whole and more powerfully effective. Thus, where you are hurt, our resurrected Jesus can bring you healing. While such healing will not remove the scars, it will transform where you are hurt into a new way of functioning in his resurrection power.

Sometimes we experience the pain of ministry and/or the pain of life in a parsonage almost as intense as the Passion of Christ. As a result, some find themselves carrying the secret burden of depression. Others struggle with depression not only in their ministry but also in their marriage to the point of about being ready to quit.

Several burn out having giving of themselves greatly while never feeling loved or valued on any basis but performance. They feel the emptiness of never knowing the love of their family where to survive they were never able to be themselves.

A few see suffering for Jesus to mean creating their own suffering by crucifying themselves in the work of ministry focused totally on the needs of others, but never taking care of themselves for they are neither able to set or live within healthy boundaries. Because of never coming apart for the proper care of ministry, their life and their ministry comes apart.

An unknown number grew up in families where the rules where “don’t trust, don’t feel, don’t talk.” They often live in a constant stake of high anxiety that either leads them to be very controlling or very familiar with being controlled. Due to never being allowed to feel and thus never learning how to handle their emotions whatever they have not worked through will be acted out in some harmful way either to their life and ministry or both. Because they never could talk openly about issues at home, they continue to talk indirectly as adults and sometimes function in passive-aggressive ways in times of very high anxiety.

Jesus Christ’s resurrection victory over sin, the domain of darkness, death, the devil and the grave offers us the transformation of our pain. His compassionate and strong grace to help us rise above the unhealthy ways of existing with our pain. While the scars will still remain, those hurt parts of our lives can be raised to new level of functioning by God’s amazing free grace. As a result new power and effectiveness in both living and ministry will come into our lives. Our risen Lord and Savior offers to us life and life more abundantly. Then more of Jesus’ abundant love and grace can both flow into us and through us to others.

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