So recently I have encountered several people who have expressed to me that they have been wounded by the church. To hear this kind of sounds like an oxymoron. The church is a place where a person should find healing, hope, help...not hurt?
I have recently been burdened with the thoughts of why is this a common consensus among teenagers and young adults. Is it because they were raised in a much to strict "Christian" home and so now is their time to rebel? Is it because at church these "Christians" judged them and isolated them and so there was never a connection or comfort found there? Maybe they have always been unbelievers and instead of being inviting and loving them past that they were hateful and excluded them? I do not know what the answer is for everyone but I am just so sick of this. I am sick of the excuses. I am sick of these "Christians". I am just sick of it all! I am sick of being at church and instead of worshipping I see teens who were forced to be at church and instead of enjoying the opportunity to stand in awe of their creator and praise Him, they would rather text some boy who will not be around in a few years or think about what is for dinner or what am I going to do when service is over. What is this people? Please understand I am guilty of all of these things. That is why I am enraged. I am mad at myself for cheapening something so precious. Being a member of the body of Christ has called us to something much greater than Facebook updates or Taco Bell after service. We are the "chosen generation". Think about that. The CHOSEN GENERATION! The Creator of all things...every freckle on your face, every fish in the sea, every star in the sky...He chose us to live in this time period for a reason!!! I remember talking to my mom and grandma and thinking that, "Man, I wish life was that easy now." But that's it...they were chosen to live then and I've been chosen to live now. When being a Christian is NOT easy, when the church is constantly being ridiculed, when families have been ripped apart by so many elements of this secular. I (and you) have been chosen to live in this time for a reason! That reason? To be a light for Christ in this cold and dark world. Depression is high, economy is low...who will show love in this era? YOU!!! It is such a HUGE calling but God has blessed us with this opportunity to do something with it! Be different! Be the change.
I am sick of kids who have been brought up in the church their whole lives and when they enter high school they are still wanting to be fed by the church. They are still consumers instead of giving back. (Again, let me remind you...I AM TOTALLY GUILTY OF THIS.) We have been given the tools as kids and in high school, college, you first job work place is the best mission field we could ask for at this time. So we cannot just go with the flow. We cannot just fly under the radar. We are called to be different! To be bigger and better than the norm!
Ultimately, I am ready for the bride of Christ to fall back in love. I want there to be a revolution of teenagers, young adults, old adults to fall DEEPLY, MADLY in love with Jesus. I have been to so many different worship services in so many different churches and I see everyone go through the motions. They read the words on the screen but they do not let it effect their heart. They just sing them then sit. Well lets put you at your favorite concert or favorite sports team game. I bet you are jumping, dancing, raising your hands, yelling, anything to show that you are such a fan! I have seen so many teenagers (that I know dance) stand half asleep during worship songs at church. And do not think I am saying we need to have a rave in the middle of church but I am saying that if your heart is not in it. Do not sing the words. In songs like Indescribable the lyric, "You know the depths of my heart but You love me the same," and in How He Loves Us, the words in these worship songs and hymnals are way to powerful to sing without complete and utter conviction! This is to important guys! And trust me I know and relate with those of you who say "we sing them all the time". I mean I sing the Doxology every single day of my life but recently I got to see a group of people who never sing it, lift that praise up to God and it kicked me in the face! I am so glad it did too!
I just think that people would stop being "hurt" by the church if we, THE CHURCH, would fall back in love with our Kinsman Redeemer. We worship, serve, live for a God who loved us so much, how can we not pass it on. WAKE UP CHURCH! People out there are living life without knowing, feeling, understanding the love of God and we have been called to show them! Yea, we really have! Because to whom much is given much is required! WAKE UP! This is tooo important to just let it pass by. We have a Savior who loves us past all our crap that we try to hide from the world. You know the dark and dirty stuff you do not want anyone to see, ESPECIALLY God. (Well tough luck, HE ALREADY KNOWS and HE loves us anyways) Is that not crazy to think of how our Lord, who is perfect, sinless, holy, sovereign, righteous loves us so much He sent His only Son to DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH, A PAINFUL, A BLOODY, A HUMILIATING DEATH for us even though He hates sin and He knew we would do it anyways. He knew that there would be days that we would stray and not love Him. HE DID IT ANYWAYS! CHURCH WAKE UP! GEORGIA WAKE UP!!!! Let go of those guards, shields, walls, masks that you are hiding behind because the truth is we are ALL filthy rags without the GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD! We deserve HELL BUT HE GAVE US HEAVEN!!!! Let's live it out guys! Let's praise Him! Let's be the bride He is waiting to receive! Ah...HIS WOUNDS HAVE PAID OUR RANSOM! Let's go tell some people that! Let's be fanatic about God! Let's love Him and give Him the time we give FACEBOOK, TV, MOVIES, SPORTS, TEXTING! Let's give it all to Him! Give Him your HURT, SHAME, GUILT, DIRTY DEEP SIN! Let Him take it away. Because we do not have time to maintain this regret when we think about HOW HE LOVES US! Stop condemning, Start loving. Because that person you cannot stand, that you think is so far gone. GOD LOVES THEM JUST AS MUCH AS HE LOVES YOU!!! You are no better (and no worse). So stop comparing yourself to others and start comparing yourself to God!!!! That's the only thing we can compare ourselves to. He made no junk! He made you, so stop thinking your junk, stop thinking someone else is junk! Because we all come from the same mold. We are all made out of His image. So let's start reflecting it adequately. I know we can do it!
This rant has gone on too long, but I had an awakening last night. I knew all my flaws. More than anything I want them gone out of my life and I hope maybe my flaws can encourage you guys to let go of yours! God is good. God is love. Love one another as He has loved us!
