Lord, Help me Overcome My Strengths

There seems to be a lot of painful stuff going around blogworld and email list world at the moment about women in the ordained ministry and women as preachers. A male minister in a mainstream denomination that ordains women repeating sexist mals mots about women preachers being comparable to dogs walking on two hind-legs (you know the quotation). On a mailing list (with a public feed, so I'm not breaking confidences) an FiF priest chides a woman who waited for decades to enter the ordained ministry for not having patience. (!) Then, of course, we have those who believe in male headship who are now calling themselves 'complimentarians' which sounds much more reasonable.

Lord, thank you for the reminder that, as a woman minister, I will always be on the margin whether I want to be or not.

Thank you that, as a woman, I will never feel entitled to ordained ministry - something that no-one should ever feel entitled to.

Give me the charity to pray for those who dislike my ministry because of my chromosomes; give me the charity to love them when I find it difficult (like now!)

Give me the grace to minister to all people - of both genders - who feel rejected and disempowered by the establishment, especially the established church.

Lord, thank you for the reminder that no-one properly ministers in their strength, but only in your Spirit. Help me to overcome my strengths. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.