Sticking with Family

Well, once again it is the wee hours of the morning.  The pain is still there but the attitude is different.  Had a long talk with a friend last night who reminded me that I am a woman of faith.  That might sound like a ‘duh’ statement.  I mean, I have been saved and endeavoring to walk with God for a long time.  But…sometimes, when situations overwhelm us, we need a little reminder of just who we are in Christ. 

That’s where good friends come in and why we need one another so much.  Trying to be an island puts us in a lonely venerable place.  It leaves us open to depression, discouragement and soul gripping loneliness.  Trying to walk out our Christianity alone leaves us open to all kinds of attacks and deception.  That is why the Bible says to not forsake church fellowship, especially in the last days (Hebrews 10:25).

We need good friends who will bear us up, hold up our hands like Aaron and Hur did for Moses in the fight against Amalek (Exodus 17:12).  The kind who will make every step we make like Ruth did for Naomi (Ruth 1:16).  The kind who will sing harmony like Silas did for Paul when neither one of them felt like singing (Acts 1:22-25).   That’s where the church family comes in.

I can hear it now, “But there are so many hypocrites going to that church”.  Maybe, but that doesn’t mean we stop going.  We don’t stop going to the grocery store because there are hypocrites there, do we?  We don’t stop going to work, sporting events or vacations because of hypocrites, do we?  Then why do we think it is a good excuse to skip out on church?

Let me ask this question—are you perfect?  I’m not and every time I walk into my church, I take my imperfections with me.  In my last blog, I said “Have I actually implemented the changes?  Honestly?  Some things, yes; some things, no.”.  Don't the ‘nos’ make me a hypocrite?  

Years ago, Shawn and I were talking about church and he pulled out the hypocrite card.  I ask “Do you think I am a Christian?”  He quickly said “Yes”.  Then I asked “Well, am I perfect?”  He laughed and said “No”.  To which I said, “All those people are just like me.”  I never heard the hypocrite excuse again.

In the church family, we’re all a work in progress.  I need the grace of my church family as I walk out my salvation and they need mine.  I need their encouragement when I hit the rough patches and I need to be encouraging when they are in theirs. 

That’s what families do; we stick together.