Hard topic…but I’m going there! What do you do when you are hurt by the church? Unfortunately I can speak to this first hand. When we get hurt by the church it somehow stings a little bit more than when we get hurt by the world. There is this unrealistic expectation that we are safe from hurts inside the church walls. But, the church is made up of imperfect people that are learning and growing and make mistakes. Just as in any adverse situation we choose to become either bitter or better. And it is a choice! How we respond reveals our true character. When you bump a glass or jar, whatever is inside is going to come out. It’s the same with us, when we are bumped, what is on the inside is going to come out. And this is what I’ve learned. We are imperfect, and our knee jerk reaction may not something we are proud of. Even though we are mad, hurt, disappointed and all that goes with it, we don’t have to sit down and get comfortable there. We can choose to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move beyond that circumstance. It’s not easy, but it is possible. God is still good. He hasn’t changed, He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Don’t run from God, run to Him. Lastly, we need to guard our mouth. The enemy would be thrilled for us to bad mouth “the church.” Don’t do it. It will be hard, because everything in us screams, It’s not fair!!! Long ago I read a book that helped me with this very thing. I still pull it down and reread it when I need to. It’s called “The Prisoner in the Third Cell” by Gene Edwards. It is all about John the Baptist. It’s about questioning God, with “You could’ve stopped this, but you didn’t.” That is a real struggle. It’s okay to ask God anything. He already knows your thoughts anyway. Wrestle with it, but don’t lay down and wallow in it. Get up. Hold on tight to Jesus and keep moving forward!
The Prisoner in the Third Cell https://amzn.to/2VE7rCw
Enjoyed this and been there too. Gene’s book “A Tale of Three Kings” is what ministered to me thru it. Love following your posts😊
Thanks Annie! Another book a read recently along the same line is Unoffendable by Brant Hansen. It’s so good!! I haven’t read A Tale of Three Kings yet…I need to get it! Love you!