I’ve been struggling with The Church again.
Not everyone, just Christians who post/speak with seemingly complete assuredness and lack of humility, that their positions, politics (on both sides), and opinions are correct, biblical, and objective. Christians who are lending to division in The Church. Division I’ve no idea how to fix.
Or do I?
As I’ve caught myself condemning and demonizing some in The Church, the Holy Spirit’s convicted me. Why is it okay for me to judge others, even if I think I’m doing so humbly, with good intention, and in Jesus’ name?
Isn’t that what I’m accusing The Church of doing?
Some of these people are my closest friends. They love and are passionate about God, this country, and Truth. Although I don’t always agree with some peoples’ stances and/or delivery of their stances, the Lord’s reminding me I still need to pray for them and pray for help in seeing the good in them,
aka, love them.
My default, when I interface with certain Christians, is a subconscious groan and eye-roll. My default isn’t to give them the benefit of the doubt or look for the good in them. My default, when God graciously allows me to hear my own subtle, critical thoughts, is to justify and rationalize my indignation. But the Lord is also teaching me some new defaults…
What is God teaching me about what I can do to help heal division in The Church?
That God forgives The Church’s hypocrisy, judgment, and blind spots, starting with me. That if I pay close attention, any ungodly criticism of and annoyance with The Church, makes something in me feel duplicitous, ugly, and uncomfortable. And that if I really want to heal the division in the church that bothers me so much,
It will only happen by looking first and continuously in the mirror.
#iamTheChurch