I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.~ 1 Corinthians 3:2

Seeker Friendly

When I was a small child, I loved my mom's attention. If I fell or was sick, there was nothing better than mom taking care of me. I liked it so much I would play up my pain and sickness to get more attention from her.

It seems not much has changed as I have gotten older—I still like attention. When things in life are not going right for me, I like it when others want to help me or even save me from my problems. It can be hurtful to tell someone about your problems: marriage woes, job loss, or drug addiction, and get no response of concern from them. It's the kind of thing that might make you want to run back to your mom for comfort.

The church appears to operate under a similar mindset. I've often remarked that if God were leading the Israelites through a wilderness journey today, Christians would inadvertently hinder God's work by overzealously trying to assist them. They'd probably jump into action, constructing houses, supplying food, and brainstorming ways to improve their lives, all to quell their complaints.

Many individuals come to church carrying a multitude of burdens in their lives. The church sympathizes with them and dedicates significant effort to assisting them, believing it will lead them to experience God's love. The church tends to baby their congregants and turn a blind eye to their compromised lives.

The problem is, if we were honest, the part within us that loves being pampered and coddled is our flesh. When the church caters to this behavior, it shifts the focus away from Jesus and onto the individual. Essentially, we're nurturing the very aspect of ourselves we need to overcome.

I understand how difficult it is to witness others facing storms. I don't enjoy experiencing storms myself, nor do I like seeing others go through them. However, we must learn to maintain faith during these challenging times. Our goal should be to guide people towards Christ amidst the storms rather than simply rescuing them from the storm's grasp. We must trust Jesus to determine the best course of action because we can't always comprehend what God's doing in their lives. If we fail to navigate through storms with Christ, we'll remain weak and reliant on others. Consequently, people may come to expect our assistance every time a storm arises, and if we don't intervene, they might feel abandoned by God.

I've been blessed to have support from many well-meaning Christians during my trials, which has aided me in weathering numerous storms. Yet, I've realized I never fully grasped how to lean on Christ, draw closer to Him, and trust His guidance through the storms. Consequently, when confronted with a new challenge, my instinctive reaction often veers towards doubt and a lack of faith. I wasn't taught to seek Christ amidst the storms; instead, I was encouraged to find ways to evade them altogether. After all, if they thought it was unacceptable for them to struggle, why should I believe it was?

It was intriguing to observe that when I sought assistance for various matters, I found many good-intentioned Christians ready to lend a hand. However, when I respectfully declined their aid and instead implored them to teach me how to rely on Christ during these moments, that's when I found myself alone.

I recall encountering a devoted pastor during my time at Bible College. One day, I approached him and poured out my heart about a struggle I was facing—at that time. As I vented—I noticed he was smiling, which only heightened my frustration. Upon finishing, he looked at me and said, "I can't wait to see what God is going to do in your life." At the time, his words puzzled me, but looking back, I understood their profound meaning. God was trying to break down the barriers separating me from Him, fostering my spiritual growth. This pastor's excitement stemmed from knowing that if I made it through the storm, I would draw closer to Jesus.

I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't assist someone when they stumble, but our assistance should ultimately direct them back to Jesus. If Jesus isn't their focus, then why are they in church to begin with?