Being Open

Creative Commons Photo Credit by 2create

I have been in church my entire life. Yep. I remember attending revivals and being woken up at 2am being told it was finally time to go home. I was “saved” at age 12 and baptized when I was 13. Throughout the years I’ve struggled with the issue of God’s grace and how much He had for me. I wasn’t so sure how close to God I actually was through some tough times, but I think most of us have been there.

During all that time, I have seen a lot of different churches and the way these churches did certain things. At some you were able to say what you were really going through and be lifted up (the James 5:16 thing) and then in some other churches, it felt that people were being judged for what they were going through or had done in the past.

We all go through things. I love seeing when people get to the point where they can share their testimony and it actually help others. That is so awesome. This opportunity is actually coming up for a friend of mine and I am so excited to hear her entire story. I know it will bring hope and life to others.

Maybe you plan on sharing your story some day, but are just waiting on the right time. Everyone has something to share. It’s your story.

But, in your experience with attending churches and being in those communities, are you able to be open and honest with what you are going through or do you feel you have to hide it due to being judged?You can leave a comment below.

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http://www.jasonvana.com Jason Vana

I have felt able to be open and honest in certain settings – like a small group or in my college ministry, but church as a whole? It depends what you’re sharing. It seems that there are certain struggles that can be responded to in grace and love, but others, not so much. It really depends on the people who make up e church.
Joshua Swain

God blesses us through the hard times and makes us so much stronger than before and grows our testimony every time. Sharing your life struggles and how Jesus got you through them is so powerful and most definitely makes a difference in many peoples life’s.
http://jackalopekid.com jackalopekid

Good stuff
http://jackalopekid.com jackalopekid

Do you think there is a right or wrong to the way those people accept it or it really all just depends on the congregation? Should people in the church be accepting of anything?
Sean Sabourin

Fortunately I have been a part of of community which embraces he brokenness of people. Not only are our Pastors very loving, compassionate and understanding, but so too are many of the people within the church. I am so grateful to be a part of a community that sees broken as beautiful.
http://twitter.com/rodpitts Rod Pitts

I see this in almost every church I have attended – look on a prayer list and you will see every sickness or health-related situation being prayed about… but where are the marriages being prayed for? Where is the lust being prayed for? Is anyone praying for the guy who is struggling with trusting in God? Is anyone praying for the single mother who is doing everything she can to make ends meet and feed, clothe, and provide shelter for the children that she is raising alone? Is anyone praying for the woman who is having a problem with gossip? Is anyone praying for the guy who is struggling with homosexuality?

Seriously. Every single time I see a prayer list at a church, I want to throw up! And not only do we need to pray for these people, but we need to take them under our wing and pour into them!

Now to get on the subject: do I think people can be completely honest and open in the church? Not until others begin to be honest. It takes one person to stand up and be honest before others follow suit. The only place I have felt I could be honest is in a small group of friends at college or one-on-one with some godly men that I know. Other than that, I believe that people in the church don’t want to know what others are struggling with because that means that they would actually have to do something about it.

I say this being that same person for many years. It wasn’t just until recent years that I have even learned how to open up and be honest about what’s going on in my life and not care what people say about it.

Being Open

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Merch.

Being Open

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