Finding Your Way Back To God’s Church – Part One  by: Donny Wiemar

I am engaged in an effort to restore a lost family.
 Here is part of the exchange:
(Sister)
I am a Christian whose faith is gone.

The latest blow is more than I can handle. Our world was turned upside down a few years ago. We faced it alone no church, friends or family.
I grew up in church, was active and in the church till a few years back. I know God is the answer and faith is what I need, but I don’t know where to start.
I open my Bible, and I am lost. How do I find my way back to God when He won’t stop the madness I call my life? I know I need Him like never before. But honestly, the pain, fear and tears are more often than not too much.How do I find my way home to God? I read the Bible …it doesn’t make sense anymore. How can God allow such hell on earth to three people that love Him deeply?I am not a good speaker. I am better at writing ..but still not good. I hope this all makes sense.

(My Reply)
If you had zero faith you would not be willing to exchange emails with me. My family and I have also suffered much. We are riddled with mental challenges and stress. When I was at my lowest in despair not even 1% of the congregation I was attending at the time sent a card, picked up the phone or even sent an elder to check on me. The thing is, people are people. Yes, we’re Christians. And, yes we are sinners. We, generally speaking, are a selfish, self-centered bunch. But, you know what? The best place for a hypocrite is in church. Not only that, God is right there with you. His only begotten Son suffered embarrassment and maltreatment from His closest friends and even family. The key is to realize that Jesus will never forsake us. We may choose to disavow ourselves from Him, but nothing else can separate us from the loving God, whose open arms are willing to embrace the suffering child of God. Sister, you are not too far from God. The church really does love us. Sometimes, they just don’t know how to show it. Here’s where you and I can become encouraging brother and sister. Just imagine it; the suffering encouraging the seemingly healthy. There’s a lot of power in that.
2 Corinthians 1:3-11
1:3 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of the mercies and God of all encouragement is gracious*;
1:4 who is encouraging us on our every affliction, *that* we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction, through the encouragement to which we ourselves are encouraged by God.
1:5 Because as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, so our encouragement also abounds through Christ.
1:6 But whether we are afflicted, it is on behalf of your* encouragement and salvation; which is working in the endurance of the same sufferings which we also are suffering; and our hope is steadfast on your* behalf. If whether we are encouraged, it is on behalf of your* encouragement and salvation,
1:7 knowing that, just-as you* are partners of the sufferings, so you* are also of the comfort.
1:8 For* brethren, we do not wish you* to be ignorant in regard to our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were burdened down surpassingly, beyond our power, so-that we despaired even of life.
1:9 But, we ourselves have had the condemnation of death in ourselves, that* we should not have confidence in ourselves, but in God, who is raising up the dead.
1:10 He rescued us out of so-great a death and is rescuing us; in whom we have hoped that he will also still rescue us.
1:11 You*are also working together by your* supplication on our behalf; that* the gift* to us from many faces {i.e. mouths} might be a thanksgiving through many people on our behalf.
(Paul, an apostle) [MLV]
What do you receive from the passage I quoted above?
-Donny
[In my next post, I will attempt to help her understand the nature of suffering even more deeply.]