I half-way jokingly tell people that getting out of bed is the hardest thing I do each day. I love to sleep in and hate getting out of bed in the mornings. However, I force myself to do it. Now, once I’m up, I’m up. I’m not the type who takes hours to get going, and I never sleep-in to the point that I am late. It just takes work to get out of bed.
There have been times in my life where going to church was much harder than it should be. Just like getting out of bed, I had to force myself to go. First was when my kids were little. It was so much work to get ready and out the door. We did it Monday through Friday, but Sunday just seemed harder. Another time was when my late husband was sick. You would think that would be a time to lean in and get yourself to church. Unfortunately, I would go to church, hear people laughing and joking, and I just wanted to turn around and leave. Then praise and worship would start, and all I could do was stand there and cry. I would think to myself, “I can cry at home, why am I coming to church just to cry?”
Thirdly, sometimes when my job would put me in the news or the center of some controversy, I did not want to go to church or I wanted to slide in late and leave early. I would worry that people were making judgements about me based on news coverage rather than who I really am. From the time I walked in the door until the time I left, I unrealistically felt all eyes were on me. I might embarrassingly add a fourth reason. There were times I didn’t want to go to church because I thought I didn’t have anything to wear.
Yes, looking at these reasons now, they seem silly or vain, but at the time the struggles were real. Going to church, the event that I should be looking forward to all week, the event that should feed my soul and strengthen me for the upcoming week, was a chore that I had to force myself to do. I can also look back now and see how God was faithful and honored my willingness to force myself to go to church even when I didn’t feel like it.
I’m writing this today because I know there are others who currently find going to church hard. I just want to encourage you to take a deep breath, get in the car, and get yourself to church. Easter is coming and it is a wonderful time to be in church.
I sit here and reflect back on the feelings when I left church during those hard times. After hearing God’s word and spending time in His presence, I never regretted the decision to go. I’m thankful those seasons were short and numbered. I want to encourage you. If you are in a season where church seems like a place you don’t want to be, a place where you have been hurt, or a place that feels uncomfortable, find a way to keep going or to try it again.
Hebrews 10:23-25 tells us “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
As mentioned above Hebrews 10:25 directs us to not neglect meeting together. I can tell you from personal experience that God will honor your faithfulness. If you are struggling, please feel free to comment, email me, or message me. I would love to hear your story.
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