Subject: searching for wisdom |
Bible Note: In addition to the comments/suggestions from Prayon and BradK, I would like to add my encouragement to you. My wife and I have been around the world and the country with the military and Government jobs. I've seen a lot of heartache and grief in the Lord's church. Some of it I must admit we brought on ourselves and sometimes we were victimized just as you seem to have been. Even if you were just a little bit guilty of fault, I can only encourage you to seek the forgiveness of those whom you've wronged. On the other hand, after you've prayed on this matter ernestly, preferably with your husband, you really must come to a decision. Just remember that you MUST "grow where you're planted." If you conclude that the Lord would rather re-plant you and your husband in another group of christiains, accept His will and His guidance but I would urge you not to break fellowship with this congregation. Hopefully, this congregation will grow and realize where they went wrong and maybe even miss you to the point that they will try to re-establish that close bond you've enjoyed in the past. There are other benefits to moving from town to town or across country and joining hands with different families of God's children. You get to expereince different levels of maturity and see the many different ways God would like you to use your talents. In some congregations in the past, I've been a deacon, I've always been a song leader since 15 years of age. In other areas, I taught a class of young people and now I'm teaching a class of adults older than myself. Try to look at this trying time in your life as a test, an opportunity to be refined as our beloved Peter encourages us in his epistle as follows: 1 Peter, Chapter 1: 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, The other benefit might be the opportunity for you to form a closer bond with your husband. Both of you would be encouraged to seek out another group of christians who might have more in common with you two. I've found that different congregations of christians have their very own distinct personality, some younger, some older, etc. The bottom line is...stay strong and stay on the Lord's side. He's got a plan for you but you've got to stay in the fight and don't let this difficulty get you down. God bless and all of us on the forum are praying for you. |