Preacher Pain

It's out in the open now. Fox News has aired clips of a major interview with Rick Warren -- he of the "Purpose Driven Life" fame. Rick is trying to make a major difference in the world and there are many who think he is overreaching, out of touch with the reality of Africa, etc. but I admire him for putting his money, time, and energy on the line.

But that's not what struck me in the interview. Rick Warren revealed that he suffers from a syndrome that is so strange it might end up being named after him. When he gets up to preach, pain and whatever else is going on inside of him causes visual disturbances (he basically goes blind beyond ten feet or so). He admitted that he preaches because of his calling -- his purpose, if you will -- but that he doesn't enjoy it.

Along with my sympathy for Rick arose an empathy for I, too, have a difficult time with preaching. My body has let me down most of my life, I fear. It has taken me from place to place just fine, but whether it was DNA, poor nutrition and care as an infant, or the result of our difficult lifestyle my body has always had a poor immune system and, since my teens, chronic pain has been a fact of daily life. (Do NOT feel sorry for me. I love my life) Sarcoidosis has made my lungs weak and is probably responsible for the joint pain that comes and goes at odd times. Put it all together and you get a man without a lot of energy or lung power and with a splitting headache a few times a week.

But the hardest thing I do -- bar none -- is to get up in front of people and preach the Word. My love of solitude and fear of crowds multiplies the pain and I, too, suffer from visual disturbances from time to time. People always tell me that I make preaching look so easy and my humor is a real gift, but I know that my humor is a coping mechanism and that my preaching is basically an anxiety attack with words attached!

No complaints, really. It is what it is, but God is still God and God is still good.

But I wonder.... anyone else know of preachers who have a real struggle in preaching, but who MUST preach because the message is too important and God's call too strong to stop?

Anyone else pushing through the pain to preach or to fulfill their calling as a nurse, medic, social worker, etc.? I would imagine that Rick Warren's struggle -- and mine -- is far, far more common than people realize. It might be that this is my cross, and his, and... yours?