"When we focus on personalities, preferences, interpretations, styles, or methods, division always happens. But if we concentrate on loving each other and fulfilling God's purposes, harmony results"
It's been months when I started to read Rick Warren's book Purpose Driven Life. Honestly I didn't commit to it accordingly. The readers are expected to read it everyday per chapter. Finishing its 40 chapters. So were expected to finish it in 40 days only. It's already been a month and I haven't been in the middle page of the book. I've been busy doing school stuffs but now since it's already summer. I can read it again everyday. With my boyfriend we both read the same book now meeting at the same chapter. I started before him but now were reading the same chapter. These last few days since it's summer again. I've decided to be active in our youth community again. But I remembered I told my boyfriend that I found my community where I belong is something that is not serious in serving God. It seems to me that the members are not committed enough to the Lord.
Yes they do attend the community regularly but I can't felt Christ in their lives. They seem to attend only just to do something with there lives. Some of them are drunk while attending, some of them say bad words while in the prayer meeting, some are really rude and a lot of more. Because of it I decided to leave. I thought that my boyfriend's church is more better than ours. So I planned when I finish college I would convert and attend to there church instead. I can't find fellowship through my church and I thought that my boyfriend's church can give the fellowship that I'm looking for.
Then suddenly when I was about to sleep I saw the book Purpose Driven Life right beside my Bible covered with the other books. When I pulled it our I remember it's been a long time since I last red it. I stopped at chapter 20. The next chapter was about Protecting Your Church then I red it.
There I realized that the members of our youth was only part of God's plan for us to be more united. Our community lasted for over 10 years and it's still alive standing. Still reaching out to youth to know God better.
Even the members are really few you can see that all of them have reasons that's why they're active and it's I who only make the community worst. People like me who makes our community worthless. "Yet we must passionately love the church in spite of it's imperfections" Rick Warren said. God created no one perfect so I as a human being that was not created perfect does not have the right to judge my own community like that.
"God warns us over and over not to criticize, compare, or judge each other. When you criticize what another believer is doing in faith and from sincere conviction, you are interfering with God's business" This made me realize more. That I'm being judge mental to my community which a true son of God should not do. I'm really ashamed of myself. I thought I would find God more if I convert or try to attend other communities. But I was wrong if I only become contented and stop judging I would probably enjoy my community. If I really love God I would love my neighbor no matter who they are. But that wasn't I did. Instead of loving them I judged them because of there imperfections. They don't deserve to be judge I deserve to be judge because of what I've done to them. I was the one that should be abandoned.
"It will not always be easy. Sometimes you will have to do what's best for the Body, not yourself, showing preference to others. That's one reason God puts in a church family-to learn unselfishness." All of the sudden while I was looking a better community for myself I began to be selfish. Thinking of myself how to draw a close relationship with God. Not realizing that they're the family that God gave me. I should be contented with them. Now I realized that I'm worst than the youth that I used to criticize in our church. At least they love there family than me who stab them in the back. They love me and I don't.
Last two Sundays I returned to my community and become active again. I always said that religion is not important but what I did made me realize I'm worst than those people being so attached to their religion defending what they believe even though for me it sounded wrong. At least they love there community and is confident of the community that God gave to them.
All I really need is love. I became numb because of my selfishness I don't realized that my community loved me so much. They're always there even though I became inactive. If I could only tell them what I've done. I would probably say "sorry you don't deserve someone like me in your community". But I know because they love me. I know they would forgive me for what I've done. Because that what they did when I returned again. They welcomed me again whole heartedly. Thank you guys and I love you!
Now realizing all of this makes me more confident of what I've got. God has plans so I should be ready to accept it whole heartedly no matter what. No one is perfect so am I. Thank You Lord for letting me realize it again. Now I will read Purpose Driven Life again together with my Bible knowing what purposes God wanted me to know. My Community is my family I should be happy because I have them.
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