I sat in my pew and took a deep shaky breath. My heart squeezed tight as I gazed at my children. One sat arms crossed at the end of the pew – as far from me as she could get. One crawled under the pew and the other sat while tears rolled down her cheeks and splashed on her glasses.
No wonder mothers and fathers give-up the battle and stop going to church.
I never imagined the spiritual battle it is just to get a family to church. And it is a battle, but not one against flesh and blood. Still it feels like it is a flesh and blood battle.
Angry words scrape and wound. They come from small people and I send arrows back – the kind aimed to the heart. I forget the battle is not against flesh and blood.
I always imagined my kids would LOVE church and LOVE singing praises and NOT argue over what to wear…or fuss about getting up…or…
In all my imaginings I never calculated the enemy who wages war to keep my family from church and then wounds us to keep us distracted so we don’t hear God’s still small voice.
I convince myself I’m a fraud when I sit in a pew with open wounds from the battle to make it to church.
My thoughts wander, Any respectable family should make it to church at least 10 minutes early and be wearing perfect clothes and have a perfect God-honoring discussion in the car on the way.
And while I rehearse my mistakes from the morning and brood over how to get my kids to behave and like church, I miss it. I miss the whole point of church; I miss fellowship with God.
I miss God’s calming presence, I miss His call to the broken and the hurting…I focus on myself and think I must get right before I come to God while He whispers, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest.” (Matt 11:28)
There – at the foot of the cross – is peace. The battle rages about me, but I know Who wins. He won the victory on the cross and I just have to set my agenda, my dreams, my hopes there at the cross to find His peace.
There at the cross God gives me Spiritual armor. He gives me righteousness to protect my heart, salvation to protect my mind, truth as a foundation, faith as a shield, good-news to spread everywhere my feet go, and His Word to fight off the Enemy.
At the foot of the cross victory is won, the messed-up are called righteous, and wounds are healed. That is what church is for…not the perfect family who made it there on their own power. No it is for the wounded soldier who begs God to carry them there.
How do you find peace when the struggle to make it to church clouds your view?
- Ch…ch…ch…CHANGES Are Coming in 2017 for TMI - December 27, 2016
- What New Thing Are You Ready to See God Do in Your Life in 2017? - December 26, 2016
- Heaviness and Newness - December 23, 2016
