How to overcome church hurt.

Have you been hurt by the church? Me too.

First off, what does church hurt even mean? This term is used to convey pain related to negative experiences in church. By this they mean church the people or organization. Maybe you've been hurt by fellow church members, teachers, ministry leaders, or even your Pastors. We often forget that Christians are human, too. They will fail us. Thats right, even your leaders are human. You can absolutely expect them to mess up.

Church hurt can cut deep, but the wounds can be healed. Here are some tips to help you on your healing journey.

Don’t talk about it. Pray about it. 

In some cases, our first reaction is to run to someone and vent. While venting is acceptable in some cases, it’s not always appropriate to talk to other church members about your hurt. This can quickly become gossip and end up hurting the person you're venting to also. Scripture tells us that gossip will cause division. Look at the bigger picture instead of the moment.

• For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. Proverbs 26:20

Keep your heart guarded.

When our hearts are guarded, we won't be so easily offended. Easier said than done, right? Scripture tells us the importance of guarding our hearts. It says above all else we should guard our hearts. This means we should make the protection of our hearts a priority. How do we do that? Stay consistent the word. This will remind you of who you are in Christ. Our goal is to be spiritual people and a spiritual church. To do this, our hearts have to be right. All the “stuff” just distracts us from our purpose. 

• Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

Forgive.

If you truly want to let the hurt go and receive your healing, you cannot keep holding on to the situation. You have to lay it at the cross and trust that God will take care of it. You may have lost your faith in people, but don’t lose your faith in your Father. If Jesus can heal the blind and raise the dead, He can heal your hurting heart. Trust Him. Tell Him everything. He is waiting on you. 

• Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:32