I love athesits. Yea I know I'm a Christian I'm "supposed" to love them. But really more then love them, I admire them.
Seriously? Seriously! You see I feel we Christians can learn a lot from atheists. I've known a few in my life time, some have been very good friends. In my time spent with them I've learned a lot of lessons about faith which I've never learned in church but they can all be applied to church.
You see I've never met an atheist who's not afraid to tell you they are. They never fear telling you why they think what they think and most make some pretty compelling arguments. Atheists, in my humble and sometime misguided opinon, have no fear.
Fear is something I see every sunday and it is starting to drive me crazy. I look around at the service and I see people afraid to do simple things which I feel every christian should want to do. I see people who don't talk about their faith, who don't discuss their insecurities, and simply show up in hopes the holy spirit will just rub off on them.
It's fear that is holding them back. They are afraid to sing because the cute girl or guy next to them might be turned off. They don't want to raise their hands in praise because they don't want to be that person. They don't want to talk in public about their faith because they don't want to be labled a religious person, or a zealot.
What are you afraid of? Why do you care so much about what that person or persons think of you? I've never really put much stock into what others think of me. I used to put a lot of stock into their ideas, thoughts, and opinons of me. But I grew up and grew out of that way of thinking.
Now I can understand being worried and fearful about what the world around you thinks. There are a lot of people out there who think differently. I don't expect you to have the strength or will that I saw in my atheists friends when you're out and about.
But in church I not only expect it, I demand it.
If you think I'm talking to you then you're right. I have a lot of friends at church who I know are holding back. I know they are afraid and I know they are worried about what those around them are thinking.
Well it's time to let it go. Get over yourself, you are not that cool. You are not that hot. You do not need to worry. You NEED to sing at the top of your lungs. You need to throw your hands up in the air and let those around you know that you believe. That you feel it. That you have God in your life and you want more of him!
It's not easy and it's scary as all hell. Trust me I know. I NEVER sang in church. I NEVER put my hands in the air. I never groved to the music or just felt it.
Thirty Two years it took me to sing out loud, raise my hands in the air, grove and feel it. I finally put my fear away and said screw it. Yea I actually said screw it in chruch. I'm sure God will forgive me.
So if you don't sing in church then sing. If you don't raise your hands then raise them. If you don't groove or feel it then look around and draw inspiration from someone who is. God wants us to praise him with all our might.
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. - 1 Chronicles 16:9
If you cannot share your love for God in church. If you cannot show your praise to Him in His house. How can you ever expect to show your love, and share your love for Him with others outside of the church?
Church is supposed to be the safe place for us to praise Him and worship Him. But if we continue to think and act the ways we are currently acting, then church will never be seen as this safe place. If you don't feel safe enogh to sing out loud and raise your hands in praise, then what makes you think someone new to the church will?
What's it going to take for you to feel it?
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