Hope for Those Who are a Physical or Spiritual Dropout.
Many of today's hurting Christians started out serving God with joyful excitement. Because of abuse in the church, miscommunication or even a delay in receiving God's promises, there has been a spiritual disconnect. If you are burned out and bored or consider yourself a church dropout, or otherwise in the wilderness, God wants to minister to you and refresh your relationship with Him.
Abused, Barren, Burned Out or Bored?
Even if you are angry with God, He loves you.
Did your love for the Lord lead you to start out serving him with Joy and Exuberance only to see it fade over time? Have you run into Christians, even in the pulpit, whose character couldn't match their confession?Maybe you are one of those who received some wonderful promises from God but somehow as days turned into years, you got lost in your own personal wilderness.
Some people are so angry at other Christians and even God, Himself, that they have dropped out altogether.
Believe me, you are not alone and God has not forgotten you. Even if you are angry at Him, He understands and wants to reconnect with you again.
How do I know? First off, I've felt a lot of what many of you are feeling. I have been saved over 25 years and during that time I have been through the Charismatic, Word of Faith, Non-denominational and Pentecostal Movements. I've been in big churches, home fellowship groups and even no church at all. I've had wonderful words prophesied over me, things promised to me from various leaderships that never materialized, people talked about me and even God didn't do what I expected Him to do. Somehow during it all, I have known that there was more of God than I was seeing and that even if I couldn't feel it, He still loved me.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Did you know that you can take all that has happened to you and all you have learned about God and even about yourself - all of it - and lay it at the foot of God's throne and ask Him to sift it and show you what is valid and what should be discarded? Did you know that one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to lead you into all truth? In the process, you will become more sure of your foundations and your relationship with God.
Links to Help Your Spiritual Motivation
You are an overcomer when you overcome -
- Morning At Last BLOG
- What's new on my BLOG? (I got tired of waiting for the RSS lead to work. Don't know what I did wrong there...)
- Place to download The Exodus Chronicles and Morning at Last!
- New page to download my books. If you had trouble in the past, try it here.
- The Exodus Connection
- More information on my book, The Exodus Connection
- Morning At Last!
- More information on my book, Morning At Last
- Churchless Christianity
- You don't have to be burned out or hurt to leave a church.
- Evidence That God is Moving
- See what God is doing for others. You know He is no respecter of persons. He loves you so release your faith for more!
How Hot is Your Christian Walk Poll?
Why Redefine Ministry for You?
Ruts or Skidmarks, God wants to change your Spiritual Walk.
Why would I say that God wants to redefine ministry for you?Many of the people who are experiencing the things I am talking about have been hurt by people in the pulpit. It doesn't matter if someone accidentally hurt you or if they took your money and ran, we tend to think about God according to those who supposedly represent Him to us.
If the Bible tells us that God is Love and we see abuse coming from the leadership in our church, what kind of love is that? If you follow today's headlines, priests are abusing children, pastors are cheating on their wives and/or abusing church funds.
Every time something like that happens, someone in the church gets hurt.
It may not have been something so obviously evil. Maybe you made a decision to help someone with their ministry and they promised to help you mature in your own call. Then down the road you found out that they were using you to further their own plans (read that finance their plans) and never intended to help you. A lot of so called ministers have done this in the name of discipleship training. It still ends up the same with hurt people.
God has made each of us uniquely different and He wants you to be happy. When He placed a call on your life, it wasn't to frustrate you but to give you a place of satisfaction in His service. Maybe it's been a long time since you have entertained such thoughts but if something is lacking in your life, it might be that He is stirring up those longings to be spiritually fulfilled. He is doing that because it is a new season and it's time to enter your Promised Land. Don't take my word for it, reconnect and ask Him for yourself.
You can find more helpful info on my BLOG
Everyone needs encouragement.
It All Started When You Saw the Love of Jesus
UnMotivated Christians
There are reasons people become pew sitters
Sometimes there is a reason for that. I know people who used to be the ushers, sunday school teachers, evangelism leaders, etc. who no longer have the energy to volunteer. Some of them worked in churches where they poured our and poured out and no one ever noticed or appreciated what they were doing. What ever the reason, burn out is very real.
If you have found yourself in that category, I want you to look at the reason you are going to church to begin with. Do you go just because it is expected or you like seeing your friends? Maybe you go expecting things to change. Stop and think about it.
Most of the people I know who used to be very active in church but aren't now, still love God. They wish things were better but feel powerless to change.
There's Still Hope
With God there is always hope but it starts with you. Start by having an honest conversation with God. I know He already knows but if you will tell Him how you feel and what is going on with you and then honestly ask Him to show you how to get back to that place of freshness, He will listen and help. There is nothing a Father wants more than to have his kids trust him to help them.
As your relationship with Him becomes refreshed, you will find yourself reenergized and ready to act. Just don't be surprised if it is in areas that you never considered before. All of us have hidden abilities that He delights in drawing forth. Don't let your past keep you from your future. Start today and move forward.
When You are Running on "E" You Need GAS
Give your mind something new to work on.
Burned Out on Being Good: What to Do If Religion Is Wearing You Out
Amazon Price: (as of 10/06/2008)
Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
Amazon Price: $10.19 (as of 10/06/2008)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 10/06/2008)
Tell Me Where It Hurts: A Day of Humor, Healing and Hope in My Life as an Animal Surgeon
Amazon Price: $15.61 (as of 10/06/2008)
Forgiveness Is a Choice: A Step-By-Step Process for Resolving Anger and Restoring Hope (Apa Lifetools)
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 10/06/2008)
Don't be shy, leave a note.
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cindyprayer
"Because of abuse in the church, miscommunication or even a delay in receiving God's promises, there has been a spiritual disconnect." This is sad but true. I think it's very important for every Christian to find a church that he or she will find it easier to serve the Lord. Posted August 14, 2008 |
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richgerman
a very inspiration lens... i think i can benefit from here also... Posted August 03, 2008 |
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ladyevelyn_j
Great topic! Posted July 15, 2008 |
I believe there are no accidents when God is reaching out to us. I found this site, and found renewed energy to march forward on my journey in search of His will for me. Thank you your role in His service. Truly inspiring!
Posted June 15, 2008
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ideadesigns
I love this, great Jesus lens. God loves you! Posted June 09, 2008 |
