When the Church Fails to be the Body of Christ

I have lots of friends. REAL friends. Christlike friends. Friends in the "world." But how did our church treat us...Christlike? Don't think so. Certainly didn't feel like it.

After my husband died, the children felt their Dad had given his heart and life to ministry and for what? Why didn't we have a pastor when we needed one? We had certainly shared ours when he was needed. We had tried to be there for others at their most difficult times. We had ached when they ached. Now, we were totally devastated. Where were the members of his/our congregation? NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

Well... I packed and moved with no help from any of them. Not a word. NO offer to pay for my move although it would be required if we were BOTH moving. Thankfully, I was only moving about 10 miles to my own home. Thankfully, I had loving members from a previous appointment that helped me move. They were happy to help. They knew how much I loved my husband. How much he loved me. How devastating it was. They loved him and they loved me, too. I will never forget them and their kindnesses. They called me every month on the anniversary of his death. They let me cry. They listened. They cried with me. Now... they were able to be Christlike.

Thank you, God for sending them, for using them to be your heart, your hands, your ears.

GOD HAS REVEALED SO MUCH TO ME DURING THIS EXPERIENCE: We can't give what we don't have to give. We can't accurately judge another. Don't try! Do not repay like with like. Allow God to be God. Let nothing about this be wasted.

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

Faith