Pastor Greg Temke
River of Life Church
HOW TO MOVE FORWARD FROM CHURCH HURT
We live in a world that is so offended, so hurt, and has embraced a deconstruction movement founded on the idea that people have been injured by government, family, society, politics, and even the Church. The reality is, we have all had a bad experience at some point.
I Corinthians 12: 12-14
Church Hurt is defined as: “Pain inflicted by a religious institution or by religious people.”
I AM DEEPLY SORRY IF I OR R.O.L. HAS HURT YOU!
When we are hurt, we are disconnected from the purposes that God has for our lives.
Text: II Timothy 4:9-16
1. ACKNOWLEDGE THE HURT TO THE LORD.
When I speak about Church hurt, we must acknowledge that it wasn’t “the church”, it was people. The Church belongs to the Lord.
Vs. 16 – “…At my first defense, no one stood with me. “
- We will never get healthy until we get honest with each other.
- We go before the Lord and acknowledge our great need for His help.
Psalm 18:6
- Everybody is venting to someone. Are you venting to the right person?
- We have the opportunity as Christians to VENT to the Lord.
- When you get raw with God, then God will get raw with you.
- You have to acknowledge to God that you have an issue.
2. TRUST GOD TO DEAL WITH THOSE WHO HURT YOU.
You have a choice as to whether “we give it to God, or do we take the matter into our own hands.” Paul said, “The Lord will repay him.”
WE EITHER TAKE THE HURT AND HOLD ON TO IT, OR LEAVE ROOM FOR GOD TO WORK.
If you give up control. God will make you healthy, and watch what God will do to them when you let go, and let God.
3. DON’T CONFUSE GOD’S PEOPLE WITH GOD.
This is a GINORMOUS issue today that everybody is deconstructing. Someone in the Church was hurt, something happened, and many are blaming God.
People confuse God’s people with God. There is a big difference!
Christians will let you down. Your Church will let you down. Your pastor will let you down.
REALITY-We don’t follow people. We are in this place because of what Jesus did for us.
- Don’t confuse what people do with whom God is.
- People will let you down, but God will never let you down.
- People will forsake you, but God will never forsake you.
- People will walk away from you; Jesus will never walk away from you.
- People are flawed, but our God is perfect in all His ways.
4. DON’T GIVE UP ON ALL PEOPLE BECAUSE OF SOME PEOPLE.
People give up on God because of a few people. People give up on people because of some crazy people in the Church.
Some people say, “Since there are hypocrites in the church, I will give up on all people.“
IF YOU ALLOW A HYPOCRITE TO GET BETWEEN YOU AND GOD, THEN THE HYPOCRITE IS PROBABLY CLOSER TO GOD THAN YOU ARE.
There are still some good people around. The Church, with all its imperfections, is still PLAN A.
How many times do we give up on people, and we give up on what God wants to do in our lives, because of past hurts in our lives?
5. DON’T FORFEIT YOUR PURPOSE BECAUSE OF THE PAIN.
Often, people give up on God’s purpose for their lives because someone or a church hurt them.
WHAT HAPPENED? You used to be involved. That person hurt me, and I have decided I will not be involved again. (Relocation isn’t the answer)
Paul: “The Lord stood by myside, so that His strength would be proclaimed.”
Pain doesn’t stop your purpose, but a WRONG reaction to your pain will STOP YOUR PURPOSE.
Do it God’s way. We make allowances.
Colossians 3:13