So I was talking to a friend of mine this week and we ended up on the topic of people being hurt by those in the church. Now this can be a touchy subject. For me its one of those topics that makes me more so sad than anything else because the place where anyone should feel welcomed and not judged and can be vulnerable because there are others that have been through the struggles you may be going through So it can be blow to your spirit when persons in the church hurt you by not liking you or gossiping or maybe someone just doesn’t like you and judges you because of your past. I get it. No one wants to be at a place where they don’t feel welcomed. And if you do feel that way, I am not encouraging you to stay in a hostile environment where your growth in the Lord is being jeopardized. If so, by all means find another church home and let God lead you so the right. Now what I am going to say about those hurting you from the church is to not let anyone stop you from having a stronger relationship with the Lord. No matter if its hurt from the inside or outside the church. Why?
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. -Romans 8:38-39 This bible verse says it all. It clearly tells us that nothing can separate us from the Lord and his love. Even the hurt others may cause us. But that’s only if we allow it. We do have the choice to let the opinions of others stop us from our growth and our deliverance. Don’t risk it. It isn’t worth it. At the church I was raised in, I remember for years there was this lady at the church who just didn’t like my mom. I never knew why, I never asked, but she just didn’t like her. And my mom could have left the church or decided to make herself smaller because of this person, but she didn’t. We stayed at the church for the remainder of my life until we moved to Florida. My point here is that we didn’t leave. And that one or two not so great people in the church does not mean every Christian is a hypocrite or a terrible person. It just means not every church is perfect. And if we find the place where we feel God’s presence, know the Bible is reigning true and fellowship with most there is beneficial to your growth in the Lord, then stay and let the rest go. Cause we will find good and bad no matter where we go. So let the god out way the bad and keep the faith no matter what.