He had shifty eyes.
I once worked graveyard shift.
My daughter finally got first shift!
After the message there was a shift in my thinking.
-
My church has gone through some very difficult times. Gossip
and rumors spread rapidly, and people started disappearing from first service –
the one I attended. I didn’t catch on right away, since I’m not part of the
leadership (a decision made and held on purpose). Regular attendance dwindled. Public
statements were made. Apologies were given. Then, suddenly (to me, anyway), we
were down to one combined service.
I was at a loss. Whatever was happening was not within my view.
There was a shift in the atmosphere of the church. I heard snippets of gossip. Women
complained about things in the lady’s lounge. Out of the blue I received a few
texts from people I knew well. They didn’t say much, just said they weren’t
coming back. Leadership members were resigning. More people were disappearing.
And they weren’t going on vacation.
A committee to oversee the running of the church was meeting.
I only knew a few of them.
Finally, I started asking questions. I got some answers, but
they didn’t align with what was happening.
Less and less people came to Sunday service. Many of my friends
that I caught up with on Sundays were now watching livestream.
And then The Committee was disbanded and replaced with a
board of elders.
Please understand. I am not complaining about any of these
people or how things were done. I was just confused, out-of-balance,
frustrated.
These events were all laid aside as my personal life was thrown
into chaos, my mother died, we made arrangements for a memorial, we cleared a
house, my husband retired, my daughter wanted to move back home for a time of
reflection and rebuilding.
And then, back at church, a new minister from a different
city came to help us understand ourselves as a ministry and to move us forward
and to help us find a new leader. I didn’t agree with any of the things he
said.
And I didn’t want to go to church anymore. I missed a few
services, but it didn’t feel right.
Even though all these things were happening to my church, it
was still MY church.
So I prayed. I attended and I prayed. And God impressed on
me to stick it out, to worship Him, to listen to the messages, and He would
tell me what to do. He also gave me new things to think about, a new focus, a
new hope.
All this was in His holy will. God knows best. Always.
There was a shift in my thinking, a shift in my heart. I go
each Sunday and look forward to seeing whoever comes.
And we wait together to see what God has planned for us as
we pick up the pieces and ask God to put them back together.
