I’m done with religion. I’ve seen it hurt so many people. I’ve seen family and friends hurt by it. I won’t even lie, I’ve been hurt by it. Religion can be one of the most harmful things. It can destroy families, it tells people they aren’t enough, it’s hypocritical, it lies, and it’s not how things are supposed to be. Jesus tried to tell the pharisees over and over again that they were missing the point, that they’d gotten it wrong. Instead of following Jesus they took things into their own hands. They made rules and regulations that would not be bent. There was no grace, there was no love, and they were the judges. It’s pretty obvious we tend to judge others, but a lot of times we also judge ourselves. We believe there isn’t grace for us.
So what is truth? What will I cling to?
The truth:
Jesus died for us all. All of us in our imperfections, in our sin, in our fight against Him, He said we are worth it. We are worth giving everything for, worth dying for. His open arms on the cross showed us He loves us. Not in words but in actions. Even though we didn’t deserve it, even though we were the ones that put Him up there, even though He could have avoided it so easily, He still chose to be the ultimate sacrifice. He chose to be our Savior. He chose to fight for us when we didn’t know what it meant to fight for Him.
I have decided that I will live like I’m loved. I will live in the truths that God has spoken over us. If God is love and He can forgive all of the mess I created, then who am I to hold others’ wrongs over their heads? If we are made in the image of God and the goal is to become more like Him, then I will practice grace, I will practice loving the people that society says we shouldn’t love. Because I believe that’s what Jesus would want – because that’s what Jesus did.
It’s not to say we agree with things that are wrong, but to love people anyways.
So many people are searching for God but so often they trip over the church trying to get Him. And what’s left? Drugs, sex, alcohol, killing yourself with work, anything to numb or distract us from the loneliness, anything to make us forget the void that’s in our life.
I was angry at God, but then I got to know Him better. Then I became mad at religion, but then I realized I’ve been part of the problem. I’ve struggled a lot with forgiveness. It’s not something that’s always been easy when you’ve been really hurt or seen others that you love being hurt. But unforgiveness is putting myself as the judge. It’s like only seeing people through my lens of hurt, when God sees them as so much more.
I don’t want to be a stumbling block. I don’t want to hold so tightly to how I think people should be or act that I miss their heart. And you know what? It’s not my job to fix people. I don’t have that power. It’s only my job to show them the love that I’ve been shown by Jesus.
I’ve heard over and over again that people believe in God but they aren’t religious. A majority of the time because of being hurt by it. How did things get so twisted? So out of hand that we miss the heart of God. He didn’t die on the cross for us to hold so tightly onto everything we’ve ever done wrong or hold on so tightly to everything your wife, your husband, your children, your parents, your friend, your neighbor has ever done wrong. He wants us to bring those things to him and lay them down at his feet. When we can’t forgive others or when we can’t forgive ourselves, it’s like saying Jesus wasn’t enough.
The truth?
He is enough. And He’s worth following. Because He is good. He is faithful. And He wants good things for His children. Following after the heart of Jesus has been the best and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. For the first time I have purpose. I have hope. And I don’t have to juggle all the masks I thought I had to before.
The truth is He is enough and He’s worth it.
This isn’t to discourage Christians or put blame on Christians for everything. This is a reminder that I personally needed to hear from God. A reminder to show grace, even when it’s hard. To remember everything that God has done for me. To love others, even the ones I’ve been hurt by, because God still loves me and I’m the one that put Him on the cross.
