As many of you know I enjoy a pint of beer from time to time. Some may argue to be a “good Christian” I should not enjoy it as much as I do or at all. However, that is not why I write tonight and if you want we can talk about that another time. The reason I write tonight is my experiences at a pub. Since the Truth Project has started I have on many nights gone and grabbed a bite to eat and a couple of pints of beer at the Colony Pub just down the street from the Legion Hall. For me I have always enjoyed visiting pubs and this one in particular I have found to be very fascinating. Most of the time I go by myself and usually read my Bible while enjoying my meal.
Most nights I recognize many of the same people from the week before. Many arrive around the same time each night and receive a nice warm greeting from the people already there. It is always very interesting to overhear the conversations of the people while I am there. The best part of this is there is no fluff; it is always straight up in how things are going. The group of people that meet at the pub on Wednesday nights is maybe half the size of the congregation at Hillside. In the time that I have spent in the pub I have heard of more people struggling with one thing or another than I have ever heard at Hillside over the last year and a half. Why is this? Is it because society wants us to believe that we are to go to the pub to drink are problems away and that when we go to church “everyday with Jesus is a great one”? I will admit that my life has changed dramatically since I have come to know Jesus. It has been the best years of my life. However, I have had faced some of the greatest battles of my life. Life is great since I know Jesus and know the promises that he has for my family and me. To be honest with you though there are days and weeks were it is not much fun walking with Him and seems that it could be easier to go back to were I came from. Am I the only one that struggles in our congregation? Do you ever feel that you are the only one at Hillside that struggles? There has been times were I have done this and have wondered is there something wrong with my Christian experience since it does not seem to stack up to the others I see on Sunday. I am not always the best about admitting to battles that I face from time to time. I urge all of you to start talking about the struggles you may face as I work on being open with you as well.
The part that I love about all of this is that God is able to teach in an environment that to many would not seem to be a Christian environment and would be avoided by many. At the pub there is a sense of community that I have not found in very many other places. Tonight as I drift of to sleep I pray that we can continue to come together as a community that is there for one another through the good times and the bad and that we will be honest with one another when times are rough. One more thing, I would enjoy to have a pint with any one of you the next time you are around and have the time.
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A collection of thoughts and art from the community of Hillside church.
www.hillsidefellowship.blogspot.com
Hillside Fellowship
Vision: Jesus
Mission: Make disciples of all nations
Method: VU VI VO
Elders
Zach Elliott
zach_elliott@yahoo.com
Rick Sherman
rssherman@monitorcoop.com
Seth Elliott
sethgelliott@comcast.net
3 comments:
I struggle and yes, it does some times appear no one else at Hillside struggles. Walking with God is best, but it is not always easy. Some days it is easy, but others not so much. It is the hardest thing in the world to let go and let God be in control, and to let people in on my struggles. My struggle right now is parenting my 12YO; now I've let you all in. But until I do, God can't use any of you to encourage or come along side me in this struggle.
I like where your going with this. There is a misperception that life will be perfect and easy when Christ becomes your life. If it wasn't perfect for Him...having to become human, being ridiculed, forsaken, rejected, falsely accused, often lonely, and murdered on a cross for no reason of His own but rather because of us...why would it be any better for us? However, His power is perfected in our weaknesses. Just as much as we are to glory in the Life He has given us, we are also to rejoice in our sufferings. Know why? Because we are to boast in the Lord. It is encouraging to have transparency in the body of Christ. Our brothers and sisters throughout the whole world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings as we are. Let's take off the rose colored glasses and glory in the Lord. Count it a blessing to struggle...but let His power in you do the struggling. The problems don't go away, but somehow things become easier.
sometimes i'm so depressed and struggling so hard i can barely make myself come to church, so don't think you're the only one...Sunday morning is the bright spot in my week and i don't want to ruin it by talking about my life. But, i do know that if i become transparent, it makes it easier for other people to do the same. I hate asking for help and i'm not the best communicator in the world, but I also know God says we are in this together with our brothers and sisters and we should walk it together, so that is one thing I am constantly asking Him to help me overcome. When i get glimpses of Him becoming greater and me less, it gets a whole lot easier. Thank you for sharing, l.g.
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