I've been struggling with this passage the entire week. The disconnect I feel with certain individuals in our congregation is so intense that the cloud of dissension seems to have thickened into a brick wall. I don't even know how to blog/journal about this...
It saddens and angers me:
- To see old friends drift away
- To feel betrayed by old friends
- To feel replaceable
- To feel as though their judgement comes before my character
- To feel insecure and unsafe around these friends
- To feel as though they don't care about my well being
See, I know I am supposed to love these individuals. But 'HOW'? I feel like they don't even know/see the transformed me. Actually... I don't even think they care. All they hear are hate and flaws of me from an individual with a perspective that doesn't care about the growth of the church body. How can people become so insensitive? There's two sides of a story.
Evangelism is great. Reaching out to the lost and the unchurch is a calling - praise God if you feel as though you are living out the call. However, how can you reach out to others when the message of the Gospel hasn't even become personal to yourself? What Gospel are you actually sharing then?! I am stating this not to condemn or point fingers at anyone. I am grieving as I write this.
I agree... we must live out what we say which will lead us to speak of the Gospel only when necessary. But that requires one to recognize that Jesus is their LORD as well as Savior. So many Christians focus ONLY on Jesus being our 'Savior' and place very little emphasis on the concept of Jesus as our Lord. Why? Simple... you're not willing to make Him Lord of your life. 'Savior' simply sounds better - it allows you to continue with your daily lust for complacency and worldly wealth. But if Jesus is ones Lord, they will sell all their goods (spiritually and physically) to follow Him like a living sacrifice.
Father, forgive me if I write this blog in anger. Receive this post as my prayer unto you.
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