Overcoming Church HurtSample

Day 1: Acknowledge The Hurt.

In one of our sessions, my therapist said to me, “Nancy, what doesn’t get healed gets passed on and you are not responsible for the world that shaped your beliefs, but you are very responsible for the world you create through your beliefs.” This hit me hard and got me thinking about my future. What beliefs have I developed about the church that I may potentially pass on to others, especially my children? How do my thoughts and beliefs shape the world around me?

I'll explain why he said what he said. I was angry and speaking at 100 miles per minute about being so badly hurt by the church I was involved in. My last day at the church was extremely painful. I felt fearful, manipulated, defeated, silenced, used, betrayed, and disappointed. I joined another church the following week without processing what had happened or acknowledging my hurt and pain. My spiritual leader replaced God in my life because I placed him on a pedestal. It’s dangerous and unhealthy for anyone to do that.

If you’re reading this devotional, I know you have a story too and your voice matters. Perhaps you’re ready to acknowledge the hurt and heal. Maybe you have children or relatives who have given up on God because of the church. Maybe you’ve not given up on God, but you’ve stopped attending church altogether because you don’t trust church people. Perhaps you’re a professional church hopper who’s afraid to commit to one church due to past hurts.

Whatever situation you find yourself in today, throw all your cares, anxieties, hurt, pain, disappointment, and abuse on God as He commands us to do in 1 Peter 5:7 because He cares for you. Healing church hurt begins with acknowledging that you’ve been hurt, desiring to be healed by God, and desiring to forgive others. I thank you for reading this devotional. I pray you allow God to speak to you, heal you and show you great and mighty things you did not know (Jeremiah 33:3) about Him or the man or woman He’s called you to be. You can change your belief system and create a world where God is a priority in your life, and you see people through His eyes.

Read, internalize, and pray each scripture to deepen your faith.