The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly.
(John 10:10 NKJV)
Recently I had a conversation with a new friend who told the story of the severe circumstances that led to her family leaving the church she’d grown up in. False accusations were made against her, resulting in tremendous upheaval and strife, and a great deal of hurt, pain, and even trauma were left behind. The family spent several years trying to heal and find a new church home. Currently they are settled into a great place for them, a place where the Word is preached, they can serve and use their gifts, and God’s Love is very present.
I have another friend whose husband has been in ministry for decades. They have five children and the older ones saw how poorly different church bodies of “Christians” would treat their pastor. When a dysfunctional church with even a small cohort of vindictive people attacks the pastor, the children are not immune from the vitriol. Fast forward several years and the parents are currently involved in a lovely church, but most of the now-adult children are not serving God or participating in church worship, service, or activities.
Have you, too, noticed that the enemy of our souls seeks to steal, kill, and destroy our relationships with others and with God? These two stories are only two of the stories of “Church Hurt” that are in the world. Unfortunately, even in the Body of Christ are people who Jesus warned are “wolves in sheep clothing.” Their fruits of meanness, anger, bitterness, strife, unforgiveness, and outright cruelty poison otherwise healthy church bodies. Why did my friend, her family, and these “PK’s” (“Pastor’s Kids”) leave the church? Because of the bad fruits in their local body.
But the story doesn’t have to end there.
Jesus wasn’t joking when he told us to pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].” (Matthew 6:12 AMP) Forgiving others for hurting you – whether in families, in workplaces, in schools, or even in churches – is a tremendously important task. Forgiveness isn’t about the offender, but about the offended. Forgiveness is an opportunity to let go of the wrong and the resentment – to be freed from that offense. It is definitely an act of the will; we have to decide, intend, and then actively forgive the person(s) who hurt us.
We may need to forgive multiple times. We will definitely need to let go of the desire for revenge or restitution. But, like all good habits, the more we forgive others who hurt us, the easier it is to forgive the next time someone hurts us. And, of course, the closer we are to God, the easier it is to just “let it go.” Forgiving someone doesn’t mean we have to trust them again, but it means we do “drop the charges” and not meditate, ponder, or rehash the situation over and over again. Jesus wants us to be FREE, to live the Abundant Life he gives us.
Today, let us pray for forgiveness and healing to be upon those who have been hurt by “wolves in sheep clothing” in the church. And let us be careful to guard our hearts and minds and actions so that we do not inflict Church Hurt upon others.
Jesus,
Thank you for your call to the Freedom of the Abundant Life lived in relationship with you. Thank you for your Word which calls us to be wise, be aware, and be forgiving. Help us to forgive as you have forgiven us. Help us to quickly release hurts, wounds, and injustices so that we can be free from them. Today we especially pray for people who have any sort of “Church Hurt.” We pray in the name of Jesus that your Spirit would woo them back into a close and abiding relationship with you. Help them to heal from trauma of past wounds, and help them to seek the grace and love in healthy churches. Give them a hunger and desire to be in fellowship within a good, healthy local church body. Help us to be people who guard our hearts, minds, and spirits so that we do not inflict pain. Pour out your abundant Spirit on your people so we are filled with Hope, Joy, Peace, Healing, and Love, we ask in your name, AMEN.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV)
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust. (Proverbs 4:23 MSG)
Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life. (Proverbs 4:23 VOICE)