Don’t Overthink It
Bull fighters are known for wearing red capes. Most of us assume the red flag is what irritates the bull into attacking the bill fighter. Thus, the phrase “red flag to a bull.” However, bulls are actually colorblind to red. They are irritated by the bull fighter’s movement. The same is true of pastors. It is not what people wear that irritates us (usually), but rather what they do and say.
When people get under our skin, we are driven to figure out what the problem is and how to solve it. That is what shepherds do. Sometimes for noble reasons, other times less so. Either way, we get target fixated on trying to understand what someone was thinking so we can fix it. We stress over trying to identify what is motivating this person to behave this way.
Dr Robert Stein, a teacher of Biblical Hermeneutics warns against attempting “Mental Acts” when exegeting a passage. “Mental Acts” is the process of trying to reconstruct what was going through an author’s mind when he wrote something. It is a fruitless exercise because it is not something you can know.[1]
This is true of all human communication. You can’t know what was going through someone’s mind unless they tell you. Yet, pastors often spend enormous amounts of time trying to figure out that very thing. Trying to connect the dots of someone’s behavior and speech to identify why someone is doing or saying what they are doing or saying. It can’t be done. It is a waste of time and energy.
We would be much better off using our observations and concerns as fodder for our prayers. The very thing Paul encourages believers to do in Philippians 4:6-7. Be anxious for nothing. How? Here’s how:
- By praying about your concerns with thanksgiving.
- Don’t rewind and ponder what happened over and over again.
- Don’t waste time and energy by overthinking it. Instead, pray for that person.
- Pray for wisdom and compassion.
- Thank God for him or her and for revealing this issue to you.
- Pray for biblical insight so you can be a good pastor to this person.
People mostly grow when they are faced with a problem. Our goal is not to fix them but to shepherd them to trust Jesus in this situation. Overthinking the problem won’t get you there. It will only agitate and drain you. Don’t overthink it, over pray it.
[1] He references CS Lewis’ brief essay called “Fernseed and Elephants,” which you can download by clinking <here>.