I would like to speak to those of you who have suffered church hurt.
And truly, that may be all of us. But some have experienced situations in churches that caused them to walk away, and often justifiably. I have walked away from a church myself. And why do people walk away from one church specifically and sometimes completely abandon the church as an institution? There are many particular reasons, but the overarching explanation is almost always the same, they experienced church hurt…or even abuse inside the church. Beloved, there is no excuse for such behaviors, and this should NEVER happen, especially from those who claim the Name of Christ. For anyone who has suffered in this way, I am sorry. I cannot fix what happened, but in my spirit I grieve for what you went through and pray for healing for you. I also pray that whoever caused the hurt would repent and be restored to a right relationship with Jesus. But you, dear daughter or son, please do not let hurt and bitterness from the past keep you from God’s best for your life and eternity. If you have not only walked away from the church, but also from Jesus, let me appeal to you. Please, please do not allow the ungodly behavior of people to be the reason YOU end up in Hell instead of Heaven! And for those who have left the church but still claim to follow Christ, please come back to the family of God. There are churches where this verse is true. And the Bible calls the church the Bride of Christ…do you think God would have you love Him and despise His bride? You are not a true Jesus follower if you are attempting to live outside of the family of God. Come home to the family and help us to grow closer to God and better serve those He has called us all to love.
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” 2 Corinthians 7:2 NLT
Troy Stoneking is a Jesus follower helping others recover the joy of the Lord in their life. Information Technology leader with extensive experience in team building, training, coaching, sales, and customer service in Clarksville, Tennessee, USA.
If you are so inclined, feel free to share this message. Also, below is a link to our website with blogs where we answer difficult questions Jesus followers often ask.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (NIV)
This verse is part of a letter written by the Apostle Peter to Christians facing persecution and hardship. Peter encourages believers to rejoice, even in the midst of suffering, because their trials are temporary and serve a purpose. The “all this” refers to the hope of salvation and eternal life, which Peter mentions earlier in the chapter. The trials they face, though painful, are refining their faith, like gold being refined by fire, making it stronger and purer. Peter is emphasizing the idea that temporary suffering leads to long-term spiritual growth and eternal joy.