But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
If you look up faithful in the dictionary, you would find definitions like “remaining loyal and steadfast” or “true to the facts or the original.” It is unchanging, it is dependable.
Just like God.
I was scrolling through Instagram reels and found this young artist, Sierra Carson, singing a song called “Holy, Holy.” I was held captive by Carson’s lyrics and one line broke my heart –
It’d be nice to just fit in
Not to think too hard on it
I hope Jesus is chill and Heaven is real
And I can still get in
Immediately, I related to Sierra Carson. She began the song saying her grandpa is a preacher and that although she believes in God, she did not trust the religious system. I grew up as a pastor’s daughter and I joked that I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of church life. I sung and did the motions to Sunday School songs, I attended youth group weekly, and I went to college and attended church and was a student leader at an on-campus Christian ministry. But I think understand what Carson meant.
The churches that I had attended in my adulthood have all been Biblically sound. I never had an issue with their theology. They have all been filled with kind and well-meaning people too. But there would be something that exhausted me, something that would make me think if I should go to church. It does not make me second guess or question my faith or belief in God, but it does make me second guess if you have to go to church.
Maybe you understand. Maybe you have been hurt by the church, struggling and tear-stained because of the things you have experienced. Maybe you sometimes question your faith in God because of the church trauma you have endured. If any of that is the case, I am so sorry for that pain.
Or maybe you are reading this and you are thinking: Your faith should be in God and not in the people.
In that case, you are exactly right.
But it is not that simple. Yes, your faith is through God and is because of God. But church should reflect God’s faithfulness. Yet church is still full of people. Full of faithful people who still sin and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Because of that, no church is going to be perfect. No church is going to do the right thing one hundred percent of the time. That does not mean we should judge them harshly when a church or a member fails. But it also does not mean, we should let things slide.
I wish I can think of a good application, a good piece of advice of what to do if you are part of a church or visiting a church. I am still figuring it out. All I know is that it is okay if church is hard for you. Church is hard for me. I love the church that I attend and the people in it, but it is still hard. Just because
I think I am going to end this post with words from the Bible. Words that depict the faithfulness of God. If I know one thing that is true is that abiding by the Word of God is one way we can live and work cohesively together, as one body, towards the Great Commission.
But the Lord is is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2 Timothy 2:13
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and though. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you faithful and he will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:20
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deuteronomy 7:9
Last but certainly not least, one of my favorites – Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
As I typed those verses, I remembered something from ten years ago. Those memes of KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. Did you know that meme originated in the UK in 1939 as a motivational poster for World War I? What if we bring it back (for a third time) and say this, “Keep calm and carry on… God’s faithfulness never ceases.”
Two book recommendations for if you need a reminder of God’s faithfulness. Even If He Doesn’t, by Kristen LaValley and I Will, by Thom Rainier. The latter is a book about being an “I Will” church member.
Keep calm and carry on. I see you.
Elizabeth