You aren’t alone in your hurt and pain when you go to church… you are alone when you don’t worship with God’s people. Let me explain…
A divorced lady once told me the hardest place to go was church. She was embarrassed and felt like everyone was whispering about her problem. Then there was a man who had failed morally. Every time he went to worship guilt descended on him like an elephant. Last was the preacher who had a secret addiction. Every Sunday he knew HE was THE one who needed healing more than anyone else… but his pride kept him from addressing it… and it ate him up inside.
The point? You aren’t alone. You aren’t the only one struggling with sin… brokenness… difficulty… or problems. All you have to do is look at the people next to you to see someone struggling just like you, just with different circumstances.
As a pastor I stand before God’s people each week to proclaim His Word. Every Sunday I’m speaking to individuals who need comforting… who need God to rescue them. Every Sunday the congregation is full of brokenness. Trust me when I say… YOU AREN’T ALONE!
Often when I go to worship I’m dealing with my own struggles. But then the music starts. Dennis calls us to worship. The congregation stands and we begin worshipping God. I see a big cross that reminds me of God’s love. It reminds me that Jesus loves me. Then I hear my brothers and sisters in Christ singing. In the midst of their pain, they are praising God! Then, every Sunday, the Holy Spirit stirs a fire in me. I begin to sing WITH my brothers and sisters. Supernaturally God moves my heart from a world broken with sin to His throne! Not long after that, the cares of this world melt away as God dominates my thoughts. For a few minutes I’m transported from heartache to the joys of glory.
Then worship escalates to its pinnacle (For me)… the proclamation of God’s Word. I can’t explain what happens, but it is miraculous. Whether it is me preaching, or someone else… it happens every time The Word is preached. The church “empties” and it as though it’s God speaking just to me. He confronts me with my sin and failure so I can repent and be closer to Him. He reminds me of His majesty in the machinations of the world. He shows me how infinitesimal everything else is in relation to Him. My soul soars. My spirit is lifted. Joy floods my body, mind, and spirit as I contemplate the wonders of God through His Word.
Then… when the service concludes… I am pleasantly exhausted. I’m spent physically… but my spirit is strengthened. I realize that I have been in the presence of God WITH the people I’ll spend eternity with. NOTHING in this world is better than that!
Satan doesn’t want you to experience God. He doesn’t want you to be drawn closer to God or your Christian family. So he does everything he can to prevent you from being the one place you should be on The Lord’s Day. Don’t let him win. Every chance you get, worship with God’s people in His House (Church)!