If you haven't already read my previous post on church hurt and our words, you may want to start there.
If you've faced church hurt, such as the recent scandals plaguing so many high-profile pastors and churches, you're likely familiar with the desire to share your thoughts publicly and make sure everyone knows that entity isn't trustworthy.
See the terrible thing they did! Well, that's not all...when I was there, this is what I saw...
It makes sense. We don't want others to have to endure the pain we did.
Perhaps we feel betrayed or confused. And in order to make sense of things, we seek out every news article, interview, social media post, and video we can. We look to past teachings and strive to find nuggets to prove a coverup. We focus on the sin and try to uncover every speck so we don't face another surprise.
But it's all a trap.
It's an incredibly effective tool of our enemy. Because the real battle is happening in our minds. Our mind is fixed on the problem. But consider this contrast: God will keep a person in perfect peace whose mind is focused on Him because they trust in Him (paraphrased from Isaiah 26:3).
Are you living in perfect peace? If not, might it be because of where you're focusing your mind? And, if you're not focusing your mind on God, might it be because you don't truly trust Him?
Do you truly trust Him to provide justice? Restoration? Clarity? Peace? Wisdom? Understanding? Good despite the present evil? Purpose? Hope?
Where is your trust resting right now? Where are your thoughts? Where is your focus?
Church hurt is real because every expression of the global Church is made up of imperfect, sinful people. We will all get hurt and we will all cause hurt along the way.
But restoration is also real. Redemption is real. Healing is real. Peace is real. And all of these things will take root in our lives when we place our hurt at the feet of Jesus and focus our minds only on Him.
One of my favorite old-time hymns sums it up perfectly: