If you have the most perfect church where nothing ever goes down and everyone smiles and there are no problems, this post is not for you. But I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that the fact that you are reading this indicates that this has happened to you or someone you know.
Now before you take a defensive stand or a trip down memory lane revisiting all those places where you've been hurt, stick with me for a while.
When something happens, check your your own behavior
When things happen in church, it's easy to immediately take an emotional defensive stand and point out our own innocence. And while most of the time, our innocence may be real, I've also been in situations where I have had to analyze my own behavior and heart in the whole situation.
What was my contribution to this whole scenario ?
What could I have done differently ?
What SHOULD I do differently next time ?
And the most important thing I remind myself of is to continue to walk in love towards whoever it is which also means I don't go around discussing how much so-and-so hurt my feelings because that could turn into another nasty scenario.
Realize that it's a spiritual thing
We have a real enemy folks ! His name is Satan and he loves nothing more than to see that so-called "Christ-ians" are harboring hurts against one another. It's like spinach to his muscles.
Satan has one agenda and one agenda only : to destroy everything God does. He hates the church and his plan for every Christ-centered church is to destroy it from within. And so he'll send wicked spiritual entities to initiate strife, discord and disunity among church members. All that grows into webs of gossip, slander, and back-biting worthy of Oscar wins and by the time we realize people have left the church with a bad taste in their mouths. Non-believers don't want to join "that church" and so want nothing to do with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastors get demoralized and quit and once again, the enemy of souls wins a war that we could have easily crushed if we had walked in forgiveness and love.
By the way, I encourage you to be one of those Christians who stops gossip and slander in its' tracks. Don't do the devil's work for him.
Talk to Your Father Instead
One of the lessons I have learned when I have felt hurt or I find my actions may not have gone down well with someone, is to pray. I talk to the Lord about how hurt I am and how I need to forgive the one who hurt me. I release that hurt to the Lord and ask Him to help me walk in love. It's served me well and God ALWAYS sends the healing and restoration I seek.
Pray for your church
At this point, I would also like to add, that if you don't already, one of the things you should pray for is unity and love in your church. Jesus prayed for that as His work on the earth was concluding.
Bottomline
Hurts are real and I wish they weren't, but they are. What we should strive for is that we do our best not to intentionally step on toes. If we do so unintentionally, exercise love and admit your fault and do your best to reconcile with the parties involved. Some people will accept your apology and others won't. If you apologize and truly repent, at least you know that you did your part. The Apostle Paul wrote,
Worship the King,
Gertrude.
Linking up with Time Warp Wife, The Wellspring, Heavenly homemakers & Growing Home Blog.
Now before you take a defensive stand or a trip down memory lane revisiting all those places where you've been hurt, stick with me for a while.
If you expect to be in church with HUMAN BEINGS and not get hurt at all, you are simply deceiving yourself.No, I am not being cynical. I am being very realistic. We are humans and prone to err, you will eventually get offended and hurt by someone in church. And here's another shocking truth : you in turn will hurt or offend someone whether you know it or not ! We don't like to think of that, do we ? Because you and I wouldn't even hurt a fly, right ? Right.
 |
| Image Credit : www.freedigitalphotos.net |
When things happen in church, it's easy to immediately take an emotional defensive stand and point out our own innocence. And while most of the time, our innocence may be real, I've also been in situations where I have had to analyze my own behavior and heart in the whole situation.
What was my contribution to this whole scenario ?
What could I have done differently ?
What SHOULD I do differently next time ?
And the most important thing I remind myself of is to continue to walk in love towards whoever it is which also means I don't go around discussing how much so-and-so hurt my feelings because that could turn into another nasty scenario.
Realize that it's a spiritual thing
We have a real enemy folks ! His name is Satan and he loves nothing more than to see that so-called "Christ-ians" are harboring hurts against one another. It's like spinach to his muscles.
Satan has one agenda and one agenda only : to destroy everything God does. He hates the church and his plan for every Christ-centered church is to destroy it from within. And so he'll send wicked spiritual entities to initiate strife, discord and disunity among church members. All that grows into webs of gossip, slander, and back-biting worthy of Oscar wins and by the time we realize people have left the church with a bad taste in their mouths. Non-believers don't want to join "that church" and so want nothing to do with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastors get demoralized and quit and once again, the enemy of souls wins a war that we could have easily crushed if we had walked in forgiveness and love.
By the way, I encourage you to be one of those Christians who stops gossip and slander in its' tracks. Don't do the devil's work for him.
Talk to Your Father Instead
One of the lessons I have learned when I have felt hurt or I find my actions may not have gone down well with someone, is to pray. I talk to the Lord about how hurt I am and how I need to forgive the one who hurt me. I release that hurt to the Lord and ask Him to help me walk in love. It's served me well and God ALWAYS sends the healing and restoration I seek.
Pray for your church
At this point, I would also like to add, that if you don't already, one of the things you should pray for is unity and love in your church. Jesus prayed for that as His work on the earth was concluding.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. - John 17:20-21Following Jesus' example is not a bad idea.
Bottomline
Hurts are real and I wish they weren't, but they are. What we should strive for is that we do our best not to intentionally step on toes. If we do so unintentionally, exercise love and admit your fault and do your best to reconcile with the parties involved. Some people will accept your apology and others won't. If you apologize and truly repent, at least you know that you did your part. The Apostle Paul wrote,
...walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. - Ephesians 4:1-3I can't say it any better.
Worship the King,
Gertrude.
Linking up with Time Warp Wife, The Wellspring, Heavenly homemakers & Growing Home Blog.
2 comments:
Good lifter upper...as I'm right in this. YES! Go to the Father, pray for unity...it's His body/the church, and it is definitely a spiritual battle. Walk in love, purposefully and what we pray in secret, He will reward (for His kingdom) openly. Thank you Lord.
Good word Gertrude!
Love it, thanks for sharing and encouraging
Post a Comment