Finding the right church can be a very daunting and confusing journey. I’ve been there and it was not fun. I felt “displaced” and out of the stream of things. Church is important and the longer you stay away the easier it will be to remain in limbo.
Sometimes, people grow frustrated in the process and are tempted to just give up. But, you can’t!
Regardless of how you feel or how long the search takes, attend a church service [somewhere] each week. You may not feel you’re benefiting from it, but you are.
Finding the right church and going to restaurants…
Here’s an analogy I gave someone not very long ago:
Say you eat at a restaurant and the food is mediocre.
However, although the meal wasn’t the greatest, your body was nourished and you gained strength from the food, right?
Besides, you don’t stop eating because you cannot find a good eatery, do you? No way, you continue to search and visit until you find one that works.
Frankly, I’ve NEVER met anyone who stopped going to restaurants because they had one boring, unseasoned meal or one bad experience. No, you stop going to that particular restaurant and find another place to have a meal, right?
Until you do, you cook food, eat food, and buy food elsewhere. You nourish your body because it needs nourishment to be healthy and whole.
It’s the same with church – at least sort of.
Keep visiting Bible-believing churches until you find your church home. I mean each and every Sunday. If you do, you’ll gain spiritual strength, nourish your soul, and enjoy the fellowship that will enrich your life.
Remember, no church will be perfect. Get outta here with that. If it were perfect, it would cease being so when you walked in with your imperfect self! Church has people in it and people do, as the late Pastor Allen said “people things.”
At any rate, trust God and go wherever He leads you- even if it doesn’t seem 100% the right fit.
Hey, and don’t allow people to hurt your feelings or run you away. You’re not there for people anyway, you’re there for spiritual growth and an opportunity to serve.
What if a church you really like doesn’t have a strong youth program and that’s why you don’t want to join. Could it be God is calling you there to create one? Is that possible? I say yes.
As the old people used to say you need to be in “somebody’s church”. Amen, Christian Woman?
P.S. Don’t allow fear to paralyze you into making NO decision. So what if you pick the wrong one? You can always leave and re-align with God’s plan. That’s the magic of grace.
I second that emotion!