Where was your faith when the well went dry?
If you have ever questioned your faith or the church you attend please read this.
I remember several years ago attending a church and at the end of the sermon the pastor did the proverbial altar call. The choir kept singing and he kept pleading. Finally moved by the power of the spirit was this man of whom I vaguely knew. I could tell as he made that lonesome walk forward that something was heavy on his heart. The pastor prayed with him hugged him and then announced to the congregation that he had received Christ into his life. Needless to say folks were pleased that this man had faced his demons and stepped forward to make way for the Holy Spirit to work in his life.
I changed churches shortly after that and was never able to know how his new found love for Christ turned out. As fate would have it I ran into him many years later. I shared my recollection of that day with him as well as let him know how happy I was that day that he was willing to make such a big change in his life. What I heard next was something I have heard way to much in my own faith journey. He said that for the first few weeks after that day his life was on cruise control. He loved, he shared, he gave, and he forgave. He felt that the weight of the world had been lifted away. As a recovering addict he knew that temptation was at every turn in his life however he was proud that for four years now he had not gone back to the well. One night a friend called and wanted to meet him to discuss a problem he was having. The timing was good because he had a tough day himself. The met at a local diner and one thing led to another, next thing you know they had both had to much to drink. On the short drive home he was stopped by the authorities and given a DUI. For about six weeks his life spiraled downward. To his amazement not a single person from his local church contacted him. The only thing he heard was a man from church saw his wife out and told her that he had gotten what he deserved. He went on to suggest that they find another church because they obviously they were not filled with the Holy Spirit. I bet this story sounds familiar. You may have been condemned, know someone that was condemned or you may have done the condemning.
I would like to say that this story stunned me but the truth is it doesn't. I hear stories like this almost daily. It is no wonder our faith runs dry when the very community that has publicly professed to share our burdens turns their backs and walks away.
So I ask you this, has your well run dry? Do you go to church more out of obligation and to socialize or do you go to get fed? I, like many have had my faith challenged over the years. I have been from church to church growing up not sure what I was searching for just hoping I would recognize it if I found it. Each time I thought I was in my destination that would secure my faith forever yet for various reasons my well went dry.
If anyone of you has had your faith challenged by the religious institutions please share it with me. I am curious as to the how and why this continues to happen. Each one of us is a flawed child of God however we are still loved to the core for simply being who we are. We are indeed called to be Holy in our quest for happiness yet that call will always fall short. Our humanity gets in the way time and time again. It is the true believers that will step down to where you are and lift you up however the loudest voices are those on the spiritual mountain looking down at the specs of sinners while shouting obsentities under their breath. Those people are shouting praise upward in the hope that those down below will hear them. These people are about being seen and heard instead of being silent helpers in the pastures of the hopeless. We need people in the fields working not sitting high on a pedestal policing the Christian community.
Do not shout from the mountain because that is not where the sinners live that is relegated for the righteous. Go instead to your neighbor, your friend, your son or daughter and let them know that God is for them even when church is against them.
I know I have spoken boldly about church however i do want to say that everyone regardless where you place yourself on this spiritual realm is a loved child of God. Even the righteous zealots that would rather spit out religious quotes then lend a helping hand deserve to be loved. They are struggling with their faith as well and in the darkness of their soul they too are seeking a light. It is our call to be that light. We can illuminate the world and to do so starts one person at time, oh that person is you.
I want to hear your story.
peace to you
Dale
I remember several years ago attending a church and at the end of the sermon the pastor did the proverbial altar call. The choir kept singing and he kept pleading. Finally moved by the power of the spirit was this man of whom I vaguely knew. I could tell as he made that lonesome walk forward that something was heavy on his heart. The pastor prayed with him hugged him and then announced to the congregation that he had received Christ into his life. Needless to say folks were pleased that this man had faced his demons and stepped forward to make way for the Holy Spirit to work in his life.
I changed churches shortly after that and was never able to know how his new found love for Christ turned out. As fate would have it I ran into him many years later. I shared my recollection of that day with him as well as let him know how happy I was that day that he was willing to make such a big change in his life. What I heard next was something I have heard way to much in my own faith journey. He said that for the first few weeks after that day his life was on cruise control. He loved, he shared, he gave, and he forgave. He felt that the weight of the world had been lifted away. As a recovering addict he knew that temptation was at every turn in his life however he was proud that for four years now he had not gone back to the well. One night a friend called and wanted to meet him to discuss a problem he was having. The timing was good because he had a tough day himself. The met at a local diner and one thing led to another, next thing you know they had both had to much to drink. On the short drive home he was stopped by the authorities and given a DUI. For about six weeks his life spiraled downward. To his amazement not a single person from his local church contacted him. The only thing he heard was a man from church saw his wife out and told her that he had gotten what he deserved. He went on to suggest that they find another church because they obviously they were not filled with the Holy Spirit. I bet this story sounds familiar. You may have been condemned, know someone that was condemned or you may have done the condemning.
I would like to say that this story stunned me but the truth is it doesn't. I hear stories like this almost daily. It is no wonder our faith runs dry when the very community that has publicly professed to share our burdens turns their backs and walks away.
So I ask you this, has your well run dry? Do you go to church more out of obligation and to socialize or do you go to get fed? I, like many have had my faith challenged over the years. I have been from church to church growing up not sure what I was searching for just hoping I would recognize it if I found it. Each time I thought I was in my destination that would secure my faith forever yet for various reasons my well went dry.
If anyone of you has had your faith challenged by the religious institutions please share it with me. I am curious as to the how and why this continues to happen. Each one of us is a flawed child of God however we are still loved to the core for simply being who we are. We are indeed called to be Holy in our quest for happiness yet that call will always fall short. Our humanity gets in the way time and time again. It is the true believers that will step down to where you are and lift you up however the loudest voices are those on the spiritual mountain looking down at the specs of sinners while shouting obsentities under their breath. Those people are shouting praise upward in the hope that those down below will hear them. These people are about being seen and heard instead of being silent helpers in the pastures of the hopeless. We need people in the fields working not sitting high on a pedestal policing the Christian community.
Do not shout from the mountain because that is not where the sinners live that is relegated for the righteous. Go instead to your neighbor, your friend, your son or daughter and let them know that God is for them even when church is against them.
I know I have spoken boldly about church however i do want to say that everyone regardless where you place yourself on this spiritual realm is a loved child of God. Even the righteous zealots that would rather spit out religious quotes then lend a helping hand deserve to be loved. They are struggling with their faith as well and in the darkness of their soul they too are seeking a light. It is our call to be that light. We can illuminate the world and to do so starts one person at time, oh that person is you.
I want to hear your story.
peace to you
Dale
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