牧者心聲

最近在群組裡看到一篇刊載於《時代論壇》（2026 年 3 月 10 日）的文章〈沒有舞台，也沒有突破：SEN 家庭的成聖之路〉，令我有不少反省。作者有一名唐氏綜合症的女兒，女兒喜歡和他一起去崇拜，但她對講道往往聽不懂，坐了一會便伏在他身邊睡著。起初，作者常常想提醒女兒要坐直，但有一次，他突然問自己：「我希望她坐好，是為了她，還是為了我不想被人覺得管不好孩子？」那一刻，他才意識到，對女兒而言，伏在爸爸身邊安靜睡一會，就是她感到安全的方式。而安全可能就是通往信任的一條路，同時信任往往正是信仰的起點。

在傷健團契裡，我們也常遇到團友在聚會中睡著，即使我們安排了許多「精彩」環節，但他們還是難敵睡意。坦白說，這情況也曾令我感到挫敗，並對團友失望。但讀了這篇文章後，我重新思考：或許團友在聚會中睡著，正因為他們感到安全，才放心休息。這份安全感，就是信任的種子，只要我們忠心栽種和澆灌，天父是會讓它成長（林前三 6），叫人信任天父。這個理解叫我放鬆下來——只要我盡力預備，團友出席團契，天父便已看為好；團友睡著，並不代表團友和我做得不好，更大的可能，是他們對團契有信任和歸屬感。

我也想起一位弟兄的分享：他長期失眠，但在崇拜中卻能安然睡著。或許正因為教會令他有信任，他知道自己不會被批判，只會被提醒。曾有一位弟兄在崇拜中睡著並打鼻鼾，教牧溫柔地提醒他：「弟兄，你一定很累啦！」這份體諒不是縱容，卻會使弟兄感受到關懷。後來，他參與崇拜時已不再睡著了。

其實，很多弟兄姊妹在崇拜中睡著，是因為正經歷生活的忙碌和巨變，他們身心靈疲乏，甚至會因為在崇拜中睡著而自責，也害怕別人的目光，因而選擇改為網上崇拜。幸好，在導師的鼓勵下，這些弟兄姊妹都學會體諒自己的困苦，重新安排作息，再次回到實體崇拜。

殘障神學家 John Swinton 提醒我們：「Belonging precedes performance（歸屬先於表現）。人不是先證明自己有用，才值得留下；而是先知道自己屬於這裡，然後才在關係中慢慢活出生命。」

親愛的弟兄姊妹，你此刻或許正處於疲乏和困苦中，請相信：你不需要先證明自己有用，才值得留下，因為你已經屬於北宣家。求主幫助我們彼此接納，互相提醒和體諒，一起慢慢活出生命。

  Recently, I came across an article in a group chat published in Christian Times (Mar 10, 2026) titled “No Stage, No Breakthrough: The Path of Sanctification for SEN Families.” It prompted much reflection on my part. The author has a daughter with Down syndrome. She enjoys attending worship services with him, but she often cannot understand the sermons. After sitting for a while, she would lean against him and fall asleep. At first, the author often wanted to remind his daughter to sit upright, but one day he suddenly asked himself, “Do I want her to sit properly for her sake, or because I don’t want others to think I am not managing my child well?” At that moment, he realized that for his daughter, leaning against her father and sleeping quietly was her way of feeling safe. Feeling safe may well be a pathway to trust, and trust is often the starting point of faith.

  In the Disability Fellowship, we also often encounter members who fall asleep during our meetings. Even though we arrange many “engaging” activities, they still cannot resist their drowsiness. To be honest, this situation has at times made me feel frustrated and even disappointed with the members. However, after reading the article, I began to reflect from a different perspective: perhaps when members fall asleep during a gathering, it is precisely because they feel safe that they are able to rest at ease. This sense of safety is a seed of trust. As long as we faithfully plant and water it, our Heavenly Father will make it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6), leading people to trust in Him. This understanding helped me to relax: if I have done my best in preparation and members come to the fellowship, our Heavenly Father already sees it as good. When members fall asleep, it does not mean that they or I have done poorly. More likely, it reflects their trust and sense of belonging in the fellowship.

  I am also reminded of a brother’s sharing. He had long suffered from insomnia. Yet during worship services, he was able to fall asleep peacefully. Perhaps it was because the church had given him a sense of trust. He knew that he would not be judged and would only be gently reminded. There was once a brother who fell asleep and even snored during the worship service. A pastor gently said to him, “Brother, you must be very tired!” This kind of understanding was not over tolerance, but it will make the brother feel cared for. After that, he no longer fell asleep during worship services.

  In fact, many brothers and sisters who fall asleep during worship services are going through busyness and major changes in life. They are weary in body, mind, and spirit. Some even feel guilty for falling asleep and are afraid of how others may think of them. So, they choose to switch to online worship services instead. Thankfully, with encouragement from counselors, these brothers and sisters have learned to show understanding toward themselves for their struggles, to re-adjust their routines, and to return to in-person worship services.

  The disability theologian John Swinton reminds us: “Belonging precedes performance.” People do not need to prove their usefulness before they are worthy to stay. Rather, they first know that they belong, and then they will gradually live out life within relationships.

  Dear brothers and sisters, you may be going through weariness and hardship at this very moment. Please believe: you do not need to prove your usefulness before you are worthy to stay, because you already belong to the NPAC family. May the Lord help us to accept one another, to remind and show understanding toward each other, and to live out life together step by step.