When we disagree …

I was reading through some of the overtures for this year’s General Assembly (our denomination’s annual gathering) and even as I continued to pray for our leaders, my heart began to sink at the incendiary language in some of the proposals.

Having nothing personally to do with any of the conflicts, my hair STILL stood up on the back of my neck as the adrenaline began to flow.

I feel the same “sick in the pit of my stomach” feeling when I talk with (or receive emails from) women who have been hurt (terribly!) by our beloved pastor overseers.

Life hurts!
Terribly!
ESPECIALLY when we are suffering at the hands of the very ones who have sworn to protect us!

(I’m sure that many physically abused wives could testify to that too.)
(And lots of us have the same grief over our parents — who never really acted as parents to us.)

Oh, friends!
What are we to do with so much injustice? (And hurt, betrayal, meanness, anger, rage, lack of love and care?)

I tell you what I hear a LOT …
– Fury
– Rage
– Hopelessness, despair
– Bitterness
– Judgment and condemnation

Oh that instead of such “understandable” but faithless responses, we would learn to suffer well.

With our hearts fixed on Jesus! (Who suffered injustices that we will NEVER know.)
Making every respectful appeal — yes.
Striving to serve and love and help — absolutely.

But always remembering that we are NOT the Holy Spirit!
We cannot change anyone’s heart.
We can’t make our leaders lead us better (or shepherd, counsel, protect, love us better).
 Our leaders have the right to be wrong — and unless it is a clear sin issue, we are called to submit.

To them? Yes and no.
Yes, of course, but NO — in that we are REALLY submitting to GOD.

In some mysterious way, God works out His will through authority.
And our leaders are just as desperate for the Savior as we are!

Is this any fun? Nope.
Does it feel good? No way!

And yet we have hope. In God.
The same God who raises the dead!
Who saves and is saving US.

Please, God, help us!
Please help our denomination.
May we “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3)

That we might reflect YOU to this broken and hurting and lonely world.
Amen. Amen.

PS
If you’re interested, I absolutely LOVE this article by Dr. Roger Nicole on the Peacemaker Website: Polemic Theology: What Do I Owe the Person Who Differs from Me?

I often think, too, of what we talk about a lot in our church … how there are certain issues that our consciences require us to divide over (baptism for example)–but we can do so with great care and gentleness. Other issues we can simply “agree to disagree” on (whether it is ever appropriate to portray Christ in a drawing or painting)–again, we can disagree with a humble spirit of mutual respect. But some issues compel us to die for our faith (“Renounce Jesus as Lord and Savior!”)–Nope. No way. Heaven here I come.

It just seems that so often, we are willing to break fellowship (and use graceless, adrenaline-filled words) over “our rights” … rather than to make a gentle (intelligent, careful, “thinking person’s”, grace-filled, loving) appeal … or to submit. And suffer. And yet continue in love.

Dear God–please give us grace to persevere with one another in love. We are desperate for you.
Amen.