Stay In Church – Hang In There!
Stay In Church – Hang In There!
“For I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”– Philippians 1:6
Scripture encourages us to stay in fellowship and be involved in a church, and for good reason. Church should be a place of safety where we grow and are transformed into the image of Christ. Over the many years in ministry, however, it has saddened my husband and I to see couples and families leave the church. Some return after a while, or settle in another church; sadly, others never return and drift back into the world. Among them are Christians who put undue pressures on themselves and when they fail in their expectations, feel guilty and condemned. No longer ‘comfortable’ in their church, they start looking for a way out. I also often hear from young people who struggle to stay in churches where there is legalism and a lack of freedom because of expectations placed on them by the leadership.
The result is they have one thing in mind and that is to run away! Nevertheless, no matter what is happening, leaving the church should never be an option. We should stay and trust the Lord for His Will to be done in our life. The church is made up of imperfect people, conflict and difficulty are to be expected. Victory only comes when we accept God’s Will and are ready to surrender to Him, not when we give up and walk away! Whatever you are going through, hang in there. Think twice before you decide to leave the church. Consider your children, and the impact of such a decision on their lives; how your actions may deprive them of God’s grace and protection. With the right attitude of heart, God will always make a way for you and provide a solution. Church remains the safest place for everyone, even more so, when the pure, simple Gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached!