“Most religions today are based on works. That’s why most people today who worship are miserable or fearful.  There is nothing like legalism to take the joy out of life. They are not only grace killers but joy thieves.”  –Charles Swindoll {Giving Thanks For God’s Grace}

 

I scoot into the pew next to my parents with a pregnant belly.  During my husbands first deployment I lived with family and attended a church where I spent most of the highschool years.
I make eye contact as the pastor walks back and forth and scribble notes and mark in the margins of my bible.  I’m glued to these words and the depth we go in scripture.  I don’t want to miss a thing.  Then he says, ‘In closing..’ and my heart sinks.  Is it really over already?  I fold close the book resting on my lap.  Next week, I remind myself, yes next week there will be more of the same.  It leads me into a week where I draw closer to God in our own time but I look forward to sunday morning.
As we make our way out I reach for friends who have become family and embrace in gentle hugs. These people in all their imperfection are the body of Christ who experience the ups and downs of life with me.
I loved church growing up.  Now don’t get me wrong waking up was a battle as my mother came in the third time announcing it would be the last!  Still, I really did enjoy going!

It can be easy to get swept up in legalism.  When our faith becomes a list of duties and something we hand to God.

I have mine:
Laura are you…

• Praying
• Reading the Bible
• Attending church and tithing
• Having people over for meals
• Using christian lingo?

It’s really difficult because although these things are good they become bad when I offer them to God in exchange for His love and forgiveness. I become like the pharisees Jesus corrected.
It takes Joy out of attending church because it becomes another chore.  I will feel guilt and shame for the seasons we don’t tithe and as the offering plate is passed I want to dash out of church. When tithing becomes a duty it removes the act of worship God intended tithing to be.   Am I speaking to anyone today?

As a military family we have moved around a bit.  I’ve discovered church to be a very different experience right now.  Not bad but different.
We have been going to a large church and in the last 6 months the message I received was it’s about numbers.  I don’t believe that was the intent of the church but it can come across that way to a lot of people.
I’m afraid church can become a mile wide but only an inch deep.  I don’t mean to say this to be critical of the body of Christ but when we take a look in our churches it’s not always the most joyful place.  Yes on the surface people are smiling and some are truly cheerful but there is also a lot that falls through the cracks.  We become hopeless and look similiar to the world when we’re supposed to be a city on a hill that’s a light.
When the music fades and programs dissolve and when the dashing displays are gone will Jesus (The God-man) be enough  reason to gather? I ask myself this because when looking for a church it becomes a list of what will comfort our family.  We go in with a consumer mindset which is far from what God intended church to be about.

So where do we go from discovering the reality of church?  That it’s an imperfect gathering that we’re called to be a part of?

1.Start with You
Your faith has to be about accepting God’s grace.  It was never something you did to earn His love.  He chose to send Jesus as a sacrifice of our sins committed.  We choose to accept that gift.  Its in everything we do like praying, worship through song that becomes our thanks to Him.

2.Accept
At some point you’ll have to settle down in a church family and learn to accept flaws and all.  Maybe the nursery isn’t quite how you pictured it to be or the way they do communion is strange. But be a person who has grace for people and programs that fall short of our expectations.

3.Reach out.
God has given you a gift, use it! Only a small amount of church goers serve in ministry.  Most are serving in a place they were never called to in the first place.  Free up their time and be a part of a the church by using your gift.  Whether that be music, organizing a ministry, teaching children, hospitality, or greeting people sunday mornings.  You will take joy when you are serving others.

4.Keep Attending.
If you lack the desire then ask God for it.
Matthew 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
There will be times you don’t feel like waking up early or putting on a cheerful face when life becomes rough.  It’s then when you need a church family the most.  To have a place you walk in the door and are known.  Its a blessing to be loved on no matter how far you’ve wandered.

7.Pray
For your pastor, leaders, and people who fill your church.
Specifically ask for protection.  There are quarrels that arise in church and gossip that sneaks in, we feel like an outcast when a clique forms and we’re not a part of it.  It’s then when we need to remember. Our enemy is not flesh and blood.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Satan would love nothing more than to see churches fall.  Or us to be on our own.

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God’s grace is a gift through His son and as the body of Christ we take joy when we receive it in our hearts.  Attending church can become a desire again.

You are dearly loved friend!

Laura