Our Unshakable Source
If you’ve been around people for any period of time, it’s not hard to find someone who has been hurt, offended, or upset by the church, a Christian, or someone who claimed Christ. As someone who has grown up in the church, I’ve seen this play out over and over. It was something that has always upset me, because it ultimately turns people away from God and I’ve pondered over it for many years to understand how this is a reoccurring happening across the Christian community.
What I have boiled this (and probably many other things) down to, is the fact that we tie our faith to people instead of God. I remember finding out that a leader in my youth group did something that was “less than Christian behavior”. I felt like my world was rocked and questioned everything I knew to be true about Christianity. These feelings popped up many times over my testimony, and I could never seem to resolve them without being upset, hurt, or offended – until gained full understanding of this revelation.
God has given us such a beautiful gift in Christian fellowship, I honestly don’t know where I would be without the incredible people in my past, present and future. God designed the church to be a body of believers, encouraging one another, worshipping together, and growing under the teaching and shepherding of faithful pastors. Ephesians 4:11-12 says that Christ Himself gave “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” Even with His perfect design, the human flesh is imperfect, making the possibility of disappointment inevitable.
A fellow believer may offend us, a pastor may say something we disagree with, a ministry leader may fail to meet our expectations – all possible scenarios this side of heaven. If our faith is anchored primarily in people, our spiritual lives will rise and fall with their actions. The string between believer and man can quickly get closer and tighter than the believer and God. Jeremian 17:5 warns us of this “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord." By contrast, verse 7 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord."
When we position ourselves in a lineage of believer – man – God, instead of a direct connection of believer to God; when someone hurts us we distance ourselves from God as though He has failed us. The Lord never intended for man to bear the weight of our ultimate trust and fill the space of a Spiritual relationship with Him. Paul discusses this when the early church was dividing, reminding us that man plants and waters, but it is God who gives growth. (1 Corinthians 3:5,7).
None of this diminishes the importance of pastors or the church, and especially the relationship with godly leaders. It all matters deeply. However, the purpose is to point us to Christ, not replace Him. I am so thankful for godly leaders throughout my life who have done this, and done it well. Pastors, teachers, and fellow Christians are valuable hands of God, but they were never meant to carry the weight of our identity, joy, or devotion.
Our personal relationship and knowing God is just as important as our salvation. Our salvation is our eternity, but our relationship with God and our understanding of His word is our every day life. I have yet to meet someone who has arrived at knowing and understanding the entirety of God’s word, not needing any renewing or continued connection. When my life feels chaotic or I’m having anxious feelings or big emotions, I can almost always point back to the fact I haven’t been in God’s Word or in prayful connection with Him. When we attach ourselves to God, plug into the Source; He is truly all sufficient. T