Bitterness in the Church

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32

When was the last time you saw this in church?

My experience may be different than yours, but it seems to me that we seem to put on this facade, or fake exterior, while at church. Nothing ever really seems to be wrong. We talk about the sick and those grieving the loss of a loved one, but do we ever really grieve openly in church over the sin which so easily besets us? In my life, that has been a rare occurrence. Why?

In my opinion, which is worth as much as yours (maybe), it is because we are not a forgiving people in the Church. I have seen more bitterness and back-biting than understanding and forgiveness in church. Whether the disagreement is over the stumbling of a minister or the ever more so important padded vs hard pew debate, we rarely see kindness displayed toward one another in church. We smile and be polite and then leave and spew bitter words towards the person who disagreed with us. I would rather our disagreements be open, whether they be venomous or light. I would rather harsh words be spoken in the open rather than in secret. In secret we hide the anger and bitterness and that poison gives our flesh and the Devil a foothold to cause real division in the Church. If we were kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving, then we could disagree even vehemently and still love one another. Because after the words are spoken, and the emotion diffused, then the Spirit of Christ can bring healing. I have seen it in my own life. It is displayed in the Bible between Peter and Paul in Galatians 2. If we display kindness and forgiveness, it gives others the freedom to speak openly and honestly about what is on their mind knowing that no matter what, you will love them. This is why it is so important.

Our loving and forgiving spirit frees others to be open. In Matthew 6:25-34, we see how God handles our anxieties about life's provision. He mentions the birds of the air how God provides for them. We read about how the flowers "clothe" the grass of the field. Our anxiety over providing the necessities of life can be a big hindrance to fully serving God. But in this text, Jesus tells us to, "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." He is freeing the follower to focus on Christ. In the same way, when we express a loving, kind, and forgiving spirit it frees others to be open. The hard question is how can we be that kind and forgiving person? The answer is in the text, "Just as God in Christ has already forgiven you." His forgiveness frees us to forgive others.

Blessings to all who read.