There is an unhealthy attitude. Within the Church. You may not want to hear about it. You may not want to listen. But, that will not make it go away. Confronting it will. Confronting it is the first step to healing.
And, the church needs some major healing and repairs.
So, the attitude is this: if something about a church congregation hurts, disappoints, offends, or puts you off– don’t talk about it. Don’t talk to anyone if your feelings are hurt. Don’t mention that the lesson might not be quite Scripturally accurate. Do not show your true feelings, because the attitude is– “that’s unGodly“.
But that attitude is wrong.
Jesus never said “Blessed are those who pretend everything is fine when it’s not.” No, He said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”
Who are the poor in spirit? It includes those who have been hurt within the Body of Christ, sometimes from the Body of Christ.
We need to pour healing into our own.
I am going to talk about it, and we all should.
Because this pretending like everything is fine, it’s not worshiping God in spirit and in truth. It’s lying.
Everything is not fine.
And, it’s not ministering to the ones who need ministry the most– those that have been hurt. Often hurt by people within their own congregation.
I have been to several churches regularly since I turned my life over to Jesus, because I move around with the military, and sometimes God just moves me on to another church.
I have been hurt. I have been devastated.
By a church split. By a Pastor I respected like he was my own dad. By a pastor’s wife I hoped would be like a mom for me. Then I wised-up. I stopped trying to fill a need I sincerely believe God wants church leaders to help fill in their congregants lives.
But, it hurts.
Because that is a realistic, honest need. Maybe not for everyone. But it is for a lot.
How many people can actually talk about this disappointment, this failure in ministering to our own?
Most won’t because they feel shamed. They feel their needs are unimportant. They don’t know who they can talk with and be real with.
They get blind-sided with remarks about lack of faith, or about not trusting God enough.
It has NOTHING to do with not trusting God or lacking faith.
It has everything to do with not making oneself vulnerable to and not trusting Church leadership. Those God has put in place to represent Jesus. Many times, they are the ones who are not trusted. And, by every account, they should be the most trustworthy.
The most approachable.
God made people to need other people. God uses His people as His vessels to speak through, to pour His healing through, to help draw others nearer to Him.
I know, I know, God calls humans… so human weakness and faults… I get that. But, it goes way beyond that, into a seeming hardheartedness.
Why is there such an attitude of busyness, but not a deep healing ministry for everyone who walks through the doors?
God does not want Christianity to be a religion of individuality. I don’t believe He ever meant it to be such a hands-off thing.
God’s heart is for the hurting within the Body of Christ, not just without.
Who are the hurting within the congregations? Widows. New moms. New members. People moving from different communities, states or even countries. Divorcee’s. Military spouses and kids. Singles, of all ages. Teenagers. Homeless. Those untrusting of people.
The Body of Christ often can’t see beyond Its nose.
It’s time to wake up. Judgement comes to the House of The Lord first, and I do believe this is the 11th hour– perhaps even the 11:30th hour. Do we think God will “see our hearts” and just have His Judgement pass over His Body?
Lord, please pour out Your healing in all those who are hurting, who are lonely, or who just don’t know who they can trust. Please reach out to the broken-hearted, and minister to their every need. Soften the hardened hearts towards the weak, the hurting, and the ones who don’t seem to measure up or step up under the heavy weight of human expectation.
Lord, please help Your Church to walk in Unity, as well as to walk like You did as You prepared the way for us.
Please help us to make ourselves ready, to clothes ourselves with Your love and compassion for all. Remind us of our own weaknesses that You strengthen, and help us to be encouragers and extensions of Your healing Grace. In Jesus Name, Amen– So be it.
Jemtree's Heart 