Main Thought
Church hurt exists. It can be defined as the mental, emotional, spiritual, or even physical damage people experience in a church context. Church hurt can be caused by misunderstandings, disagreements, abuse of authority, personal sin, or many different things. Yet the common thread that ties all Church hurt together is people. People cause hurt. This makes Church hurt (and every other kind of relational hurt) practically unavoidable. What are we supposed to do when we’re hurt, including in a church setting?
We can bring all of our hurts to Jesus, who is the head of the Church. In a sense, Jesus experienced Church hurt too. We’ve all contributed to His Church hurt through sin. Jesus forgives us. He also wants to heal us, and teach us how to love like Him. Church hurt can become an opportunity for us to learn how to love like Jesus. He lovingly commands us to extend the same grace we’ve received from Him to other people. Learning to love like Jesus - by forgiving those who offended us - is the key to being free from church hurt. Hurt doesn't have to hinder us from loving God, loving people, and making a difference.
Main Passages
'And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.'
- Acts 15:36-41
'The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…'
- Isaiah 61:1
'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.'
- John 13:34
Discussion Questions
How do you typically respond to hurt - withdrawal, silence, confrontation, prayer, etc.?
What role does grace play in both giving and receiving forgiveness?
Have you ever had the opportunity to become more like Christ by extending love, grace, and forgiveness? If so, how?