I used to be a church snob. I'd attend a new church, yet as soon as I found out that some of my fellow church members who held leadership or teaching positions within the church were just filthy sinners, i'd leave.
I thought to myself-
"What hypocrites they are, teaching the word of God while cheating, lying and sinning."
"What in the world would I have to learn from someone that cheats on his wife?"
"What do I have to learn from someone who steals?"
"How could I possibly learn about God from someone else when their sins far outweigh my own?"
Now that i'm older, i've realized that they were not the problem. I was the problem. My petty judgements were the problem. My doubt in God was the problem.
I let the actions of others get in the way of my worship and my own relationship with God. I used those people as an excuse to drift further and further away from God. During those years that I turned my back on God I've never felt more empty, lonely and lost.
And, if I was waiting for the perfect person to come along and teach me about God then i'd be waiting forever because they simply do not exist.
I looked down on others for sins but i'm a sinner too. I'm the one who committed one of the the biggest sins of all, (in my own eyes)... I turned my back on God.
What did God do? He accepted me right back. He forgave me. He welcomed my questions. He has continued to be patient with me. Just as i'm sure he did with the other church leadership sinners that I so wrongfully looked down upon.
This taught me that I need to be forgiving, I need to be less judgmental, I need to be more Christ-like. All it took was for God to do the same for me.
I also learned that I didn't need church or other people to have a relationship with God. I was a fool for thinking those two things coincide. Even after I came back to God, I refused to attend Church for many years. I did a lot of praying about this and I realized that I can still learn from other sinners, I can still listen to them, I can still be respectful and patient with them even if our views don't align. (Lord knows i'm not perfect and still fail miserably at this at times but i'm trying lol.)
Basically I'm comfortable enough now with my relationship with God that I can just turn to him for answers when something from man doesn't feel right to me.
I can attend church in peace because I no longer have to worry about comparing sins or questioning if others are worthy enough to be in the positions they hold within the church.
I decided I would no longer let other people's actions or my interpretation of their actions dictate my relationship with Christ. Or where and if I attended church.
I focus my attention on God no matter where I am because now I have an unbreakable loyalty to him that no human can touch.
I thought to myself-
"What hypocrites they are, teaching the word of God while cheating, lying and sinning."
"What in the world would I have to learn from someone that cheats on his wife?"
"What do I have to learn from someone who steals?"
"How could I possibly learn about God from someone else when their sins far outweigh my own?"
Now that i'm older, i've realized that they were not the problem. I was the problem. My petty judgements were the problem. My doubt in God was the problem.
I let the actions of others get in the way of my worship and my own relationship with God. I used those people as an excuse to drift further and further away from God. During those years that I turned my back on God I've never felt more empty, lonely and lost.
And, if I was waiting for the perfect person to come along and teach me about God then i'd be waiting forever because they simply do not exist.
I looked down on others for sins but i'm a sinner too. I'm the one who committed one of the the biggest sins of all, (in my own eyes)... I turned my back on God.
What did God do? He accepted me right back. He forgave me. He welcomed my questions. He has continued to be patient with me. Just as i'm sure he did with the other church leadership sinners that I so wrongfully looked down upon.
This taught me that I need to be forgiving, I need to be less judgmental, I need to be more Christ-like. All it took was for God to do the same for me.
I also learned that I didn't need church or other people to have a relationship with God. I was a fool for thinking those two things coincide. Even after I came back to God, I refused to attend Church for many years. I did a lot of praying about this and I realized that I can still learn from other sinners, I can still listen to them, I can still be respectful and patient with them even if our views don't align. (Lord knows i'm not perfect and still fail miserably at this at times but i'm trying lol.)
Basically I'm comfortable enough now with my relationship with God that I can just turn to him for answers when something from man doesn't feel right to me.
I can attend church in peace because I no longer have to worry about comparing sins or questioning if others are worthy enough to be in the positions they hold within the church.
I decided I would no longer let other people's actions or my interpretation of their actions dictate my relationship with Christ. Or where and if I attended church.
I focus my attention on God no matter where I am because now I have an unbreakable loyalty to him that no human can touch.
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