Confessions from the bathroom stall: Dealing with the pressures of being a PW

Wanna know a secret?  

If you are a PW then this secret will be no mystery to you. 

Okay, ready?  

Pastor’s wives sometimes hide in the bathroom stalls at church to avoid people. 

Shocking! NO! They don’t do that? Yes! yes they do. 

If you are a lay person reading this then close your eyes and pretend you didn’t see that. 

Well, my fellow PW’s we may as well get it out in the open. There have been times when some of us have hidden in the bathroom waiting for Mrs. Huff and Puff to finish washing her hands and leave. We just can’t bear the thought of yet another conversation about how horrible the world is, how awful teens are these days, or how simply outrageous it is that the Deaconess board voted to remove all plastic bowls from the kitchen due to the fear of hidden germs in the porous surfaces.

Okay, I need a cup of tea after that. Hold on a minute.

Okay, here's a cup for you as well. 

Now let's get this straight, I personally have never hidden in a bathroom stall. Mrs. Huff and Puff is wise to that and may come in calling my name and looking under the doors for my shoes. I find it much easier to sit out in the open and surround myself with sickly young children and noisy teenagers. Hiding in the open is most effective. Especially if you can get right smack dab in the middle of the group and then let everyone else talk around you. 

We are not alone in our hiding tendencies. Remember King Saul? He hid amongst the baggage. 1 Samuel 10 22.   David hid as well, he hid in caves from the wrongful wrath of Saul.  2 Samuel 17:9 

What about the women in the bible who hid? Moses mother hid him in the bulrushes, Rahab hid Joshua and the spies from Israel. 

It’s true, annoying, mean spirited, people bring out the hider in all of us. There’s even a verse that says when the wicked arise the righteous hide (Proverbs 28:28). I suppose there are times when hiding is a wise, even prudent thing to do. I wonder, however, if we choose to hide more often than we should. 

Is it possible that our skulking in bathroom stalls or behind human shields is cowardly? 

"Excuse me? Did she say cowardly?"

"Yes, dear, I believe she did say cowardly."

Yes, I said it. Are we cowards?  Well according to the dictionary a coward is, “a person who lacks courage in facing danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc.: a timid or easily intimidated person.”  Yup, I’d say that sums up me on Sunday mornings pretty well. I often lack courage. I fear falling into a conversational pit where I say something I’ll regret. Worse, I fear saying nothing at all and harboring a thousand spiteful, mean spirited words in my heart. 

Though I am not a timid person I can find myself intimidated by the monumental task of greeting everyone and navigating the treacherous three minute welcome time in the middle of the service. 

So, I hide. I retreat into my purse or my bible and hope people will leave me alone. I skitter into the ladies bathroom for a moment of regrouping and stay there till all threats have seated themselves in the auditorium. 

I'm sorry do you need more tea? Here's a warm up for you. I know this topic gets to me as well. But listen to what God thinks about all this.

So there I am hiding when God whaps me up side the head and says, “Why are you hiding?” Do you not know that I am with you always? Have you forgotten everything I’ve ever taught you about being strong and courageous? Child, you are not to young for courage. My daughter, you are able to stand because I am your strength. I am your wisdom. I will give you the ability to love Mrs. Huff and Puff and to see through her petty grievances to her aching, lonely heart.   

Yes, I will also give you courage to shake a thousand hands and not get sick. I will give you words to say when you feel empty of them. Lift up your head and get out of this bathroom stall. Come out from behind your human shields and be the noble warrior I have created you to be.” 

Yup, that’s what God said to me. Well, His Word says it as well. I want to challenge us, me included, for the next month of Sundays to claim the verses below. Before you walk through the foyer door, arm yourself with courage. Ask God to fulfill his promises to you. 

I betcha we can make it through a whole month without hiding. Who knows we may be so visible and available that the Mrs. Sweet and Carings of our congregation will finally be able to find us. 

I know the pressures are real. I understand it takes courage to stay visible and available.  But, will you try? Will you claim these verses with me? I pray you will, and that we will think of each other this Sunday as we sit .... Under The Same Wing,

Love, 

Joleen

PW

Verses to claim: 

Psalm 31:20

You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

Psalm 17:8

Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings

Psalm 32:7

You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Psalm 31:19-24

How great is Your goodness,

Which You have stored up for those who fear You,

Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, 

Before the sons of men!

You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; you keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

Blessed be the Lord,

For he has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.

As for me, I said in my alarm, 

“I am cut off from your eyes”;

Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications

When I cried to You.

O love the Lord, all you His godly ones!

The Lord preserves the faithful

And fully recompenses the  proud doer.

Be strong and let your heart take courage,

All you who hope in the Lord.

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