The word "unity" is a unique, small, and yet so powerful word! It stirs up so many emotions in us. For example, we want to have unity with our family - no strife, no stress, no fighting, etc. We desire unity in our marriage - often symbolized through a Unity Candle at a wedding ceremony. We long for unity in our friendships, at work, really in every relationship I think that we all desire or wish for unity.
The church (meaning the fellowship of believers not an individual church building) is no different. The ultimate goal is UNITY! Our family was blessed to witness and be a part of an amazing act of unity this past year and half as our church underwent a building project. There were many business meetings and decisions and through it all we witnessed 100% unity on almost everything! It was truly an amazing feeling and a sense of joy and amazement filled my heart.
August first, we had a dedication of the building that we had built. What a testimony! However, now that the it is built I desire for that same sense of unity among the family of God! Why? Because Romans 15: 5-7 says, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, SO that with one heart and one mouth you may Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus."
God longs for the body to be unified in order that we may glorify HIM. However, we allow our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and all to overtake us and then before we know it - to use my Pastor's term - a wedge has been placed between this member and that member and then another and another until there is disharmony and strife among the family of God!
Okay so we know that none of us are perfect, we know that disagreements and arguments will arise, what are we to do? We are to get that hammer and dislodge that first wedge! We need to intervene before it is too late. We do this through prayer first and foremost, then we have the COURAGE to go to someone who we are upset with or who has hurt us and we attempt to work through it, if that doesn't resolve the issue or problem for whatever reason then we need to go to one in authority such as a pastor or leader.
Okay - so I know you are thinking "Um Ronnie, this is a good sermon and all but why are you blogging it?" This is why - because this is something that I have struggled and prayed through, cried over, sweated over, etc and have been hurt by and most recently have watched a dear friend suffer through. It is WRONG and it will tear up not only a person but a church quicker than anything I know of simply because we are too scared, too proud, too sensative, etc to go to someone and say "Hey, I have a problem can I talk with you so we can resolve it?" We as brothers and sisters in Christ cannot afford to allow wedges in the body. We need to get to work, dislodge them and become unified.
I can tell you from my personal experience as well as from witnessing my friend suffer through it - that it truly hurts when you do EVERYTHING in your power to reconcile with a believer and then they will simply not do anything about it. It eats you up physically, emotionally, and spiritually - you get to the point where you don't want to go to worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ, you want to go into hiding and runaway from it all, you even may get to the point like I did where you say if this is what serving God brings I am not sure I like it. At this point, when you have done everything, then you need to go to that person in authority - ask for intervention - and allow them to take it! I witnessed this today and oh what a glorious feeling knowing that the burden wasn't mine alone any longer!
Failure to reconcile not only hurts the person you have the problem with, it hurts you, it hurts your family and friends, and most of all it hurts your walk with the Lord. Matthew 5:23-24 says, "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled with your brother and then come and offer your gift." You see, we aren't even supposed to come to the altar of worship until we are reconciled with one another. We need to be right with our brethren and then we can be right with the Lord.
Tonight, my heart is honestly at peace. Yes I am a "fixer" by nature. I want to fix any and every problem but I can't. I can't say that I know of a problem for sure that someone has with me but I do know of a broken and hurting friend who longs to be reconciled with another sister in the Lord. Tonight my prayer is that for BOTH of these ladies healing and reconciliation will take place. If I have hurt someone or done something against them - I pray that either they will come to me or the Lord will show me that I need to go to them.
Let's not allow wedges of disunity divide us. Instead, let's promote unity and acceptance in the body of Christ!
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