House of Love

Yesterday started off the season of Advent when we get to expectantly await to celebrate the birth of Jesus and the second coming of Christ. I feel like Advent is the perfect time to discuss this topic of community. Sometimes I feel like people get so caught up in the manmade laws of the church that they forget Jesus’ words in the Bible. The Bible is the guide book for how our Father wants us to live our lives for Him. Lately I could feel God really putting this on my heart. Church communities can be a blessing but they also have some people sprinkled in that suck the love Jesus tells us to share right out of the air. I have experienced this more so growing up and I know many people who have experienced this same thing. If you are one of these people this one is for you.

God has called us to be in community with others, that’s how we grow and learn in our faith. I know there have been things said to people, and they have walked away from church and not come back; it hurts me so much to see. I know there are definitely circumstances where leaving is the best option, but leaving and not finding a church to call home is not the best option. The people in church who may be your pastor, priest, deacon, sunday school teacher etc. are all human. We all have our human flaws, we are not Jesus. When someone hurts you like this it hurts worse because it’s something that you didn’t expect from people that call themselves Christians. Just because they are Christians doesn’t mean that they will never do anything wrong. If you have been hurt like this I first want to say that I am so sorry, secondly talk to the person that hurt you, thirdly we are to forgive. I will be the first to admit forgiveness is not always the easiest thing, but if you think about all the times you have prayed to God and asked Him for forgiveness, knowing that His grace and mercy are plentiful then you cannot knowingly do the same to someone else. I can tell you that the longer you let your pride stand in the way of you and your church, the only one losing is you. Sometimes I think we do things because you think you are proving a point when in fact no point is being proven at all, the only thing growing is your bitterness. You are losing out on so many other people who love you and are there to welcome you with open arms.

“So Christ himself gave apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining, to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13

In our church community we are to build each other up in our relationship with Christ. Just because one person messed that up for you does not mean the rest of the community is like that. In that moment of hurt that was done to you, instead of focusing on the hurt and anger, let it be a moment for God to teach you. I can promise you that whatever was said or done to you says a lot more about that person than it does about you. Surround yourself with people who live their lives according to God. Your church community is the best place to start because you are starting with same focal point, which is God. My favorite community is my Bible study group; we are from all different churches but we come together in my home twice a month to be in the Spirit, to grow in our faith and to love each other. These women inspire me and motivate me, we are struggling but we are doing it together.

That is where God wants us, in the struggle of life TOGETHER. We are all truly better together than on our own. When you are weak they are there to help build you up. When you need guidance there is always that person of faith that you can go to and they will help and pray for you. My prayer for you this Advent season is that you find your way back. Let God work within your heart and soul to prune what needs to be done so that He can help light your path back to your community. Remind yourself to be quick to forgive and show grace; what helps me is when I remind myself I want it to be less about me and more about Him. Nothing that anyone says holds your worth because He knows your heart and He knows who you are.  We are here for Him not for anyone else. I pray you find your way back into the arms of a community that is waiting to love you.