Where did all the joy go?
A good friend of mine shared with me
a tragic story of a church family that lost their joy. A divisive spirit in the
church caused a lot of hurt feelings and left many with a feeling of betrayal.
He shared that the church had declined by two-thirds of its attendance. It was
difficult for him to understand how the family of God could ever get into that
position.
I asked him if there was anything
specific he could point to that would clarify the divisive attitude that brought
about the unrest in the family of that congregation. He stated that the problem
was, the church had stopped being a family and started working on becoming an
organization with self-motivational interests being at the forefront of the
leadership. “The leaders were making major decisions and had no real connection
with most of the members in the church, just a select few were considered.”
This is an issue I have seen many
times in my spiritual walk of life. It isn’t that people are looking for things
to do to help the congregation grow, they were just looking for things to be
done the way they felt comfortable doing them. They wanted them to be done the
way they had always been done. They had their agenda and no matter what or who
had to be sacrificed, it was going to happen one way or another.
Manipulation is sometimes the
culprit when it comes to situations like this. Some opportunities can take on
the form of “good works to do”, depending on who benefits and who it “motivates.”
Moving others out of the way so the “uncomfortable” can feel “more comfortable”
with themselves and not be challenged to study or grow anymore. They want
things to go back to the way they were in the past. Hoping to find happiness in
trying to recreate what once was, looking for happiness in overseeing where, or
in what direction the church is moving. Hearing things said in the old
comfortable way of being said and shutting the door on anything different or
new because they were not “comfortable” with new things.
It is like the ship that sank with
100 people on board who all wanted to be the captain. No one was willing to work
to help the ship operate the way it should. They all wanted others to do what
they were ordering them to do.
It is inevitable that we find
ourselves at a loss when it comes to divisiveness and our dislike of change.
However, striving to go back to what once was is change, but seen as worthy
because of whose idea it was to go back to the past. I believe that Paul
addressed the Jewish Christians who wanted to go back under the law! They didn’t
really want to go back to the law, it didn’t change but was fulfilled. They
wanted to go back to the traditions they were used to and comfortable with.
I asked my friend, “Was truth ever overlooked
or abandoned?” His answer was “No! Not that I am aware of! If there was, I
would have approached the problem as a scriptural problem! The way I see it was
that those who left just didn’t feel needed or a part of the family any longer.
It was like God was left out of any decision that was made.”
I want to encourage those of God’s
people to be sure to understand that without true compassion, without true
concern for the word, without vision, we will parish.
Where did all the joy go? Satan took
advantage of hiding behind someone’s truth instead of someone standing in God’s
truth. Don’t hide behind the past glories of the church. Look to glorify God
daily as you walk. Accept the joy of the Spirit of God and your salvation.
Allow God to give the increase. You can’t do it. That is God’s job. We need to
be seed spreaders.
I love you all,
Britt
