Finding healing in Church

Hey everyone, so this week I decided to talk about finding healing in the church because you can get hurt in the church. For me personally, the main reason I was hurt in the church was that growing up I never had a stable home church until a few years ago and there were some churches that I didn’t really feel welcomed at. The reason behind that is that I was constantly changing churches the majority of the time not even knowing that my family and I were changing churches.

So, I remember growing up, especially from ages 16-23 I was trying to figure out what I personally believed. Because I had been to Assembly, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist. Those are just a few my parents tried out with the 4 of us.  

Looking back, even though I’ve had my struggles within the church including being told that I can’t do something I’ve met some pretty amazing people throughout the churches that I’ve been to.  Looking back even though I changed churches a lot growing up I’m honestly very thankful for the time that I spent at each church that I went to. But for those of you who have been hurt worst than I have in the church, I just want to encourage you that in Christ there is healing within the church. Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV) says; Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Even though life’s struggles in Christ, we are healed!

Honestly, when it comes to the church in general there is a lot of chaos between the different beliefs and just people in general which at times drives me crazy because I just feel like with Christianity we still serve and worship the same God but yet take a church in Waterloo, Iowa that I went to with my now ex-boyfriend and his parents and brother, for example, they go to a very traditional Lutheran church and the first Sunday I went there they had communion and I was called out on doing communion by the minister because I didn’t take the classes required to do communion. Which I don’t agree with because I believe that communion is something that as long as both you feel led to take communion and are a believer of Christ then you should take communion. That’s just one of the many reasons that there’s a lot of hurt in the church.  

Even though there’s a lot of hurt in the church there can also be healing in the church as well. For me, my healing began at Cottage grove church and continued in Ottumwa, Iowa through the bridge church because at both churches I knew that I wouldn’t be told that I can’t do something and wouldn’t just disappear. Which honestly was very healing for me. Because looking back those were my biggest fears for a few years and now still knowing that 3 years later I know that that’s all in the past.

Because I’ve changed for the better and even though I still have things to work on within myself and life in general I know that I can do it! Because I did go through a tough spot and still am some but not as much as I did 3 years ago. With a relationship that was getting serious which was one of the things that led me to life change church in Des Moines, Iowa. It was that relationship along with the fact that I never knew which church I was going to that Sunday.  That made me decide to try out life change and service convinced me to stay.

Because while hurt can happen in the church there can also be a lot of great things that come out of going to church. For me, it’s just knowing that even though there are things that I struggle with I know that with Christ being 1^st in my life and my church family I know that whatever happens, I’ll come out stronger. This is honestly why it’s up to you if what you go through makes you stronger through Christ or makes you weaker through Satan. He will throw lemons at you, but you can make lemonade through Christ. That’s a saying I’ve heard pretty close to all my life. James 1:2-4 says;” Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Even though in life there are many trials there can also be joy in the midst of trials which is what I mean by making lemonade through Christ and what I believe these verses are talking about because even though it may not feel like there’s joy in your life right now. There is joy everywhere you go, including in the church, which is why I know now that just like I’m going to be okay, you will be okay as well!

As I close, I want to challenge you to look for the bright side in every lemon that life throws at you. As always, if you ever need someone to talk to, have any prayer requests, or questions including how to become a Christian feel free to comment below, email me at Homeschoolgradblog@gmail.com, message me on Faithful or message me about video chatting through zoom. Thanks for reading!