He is in the Driver’s Seat

God got me out of the house. For some, that’s a weird statement to make. But after two years of self-imposed sequestering, He compelled me to take the initiative and get out of solitude. It’s not that I haven’t been outside or travelled, but yesterday was the first day in a long time where I made a purposeful decision to drive somewhere.

I went to church: Strawberry Assembly of God, to be specific. I greatly enjoyed the journey and the destination. Fellowship there was small but friendly. I’m honestly contemplating going to a Wednesday night service, which is something I used to consider out of the ordinary. For me, being around other believers is something that’s been sorely missing from my spiritual life.

Now, let me say that going to church (or not going) doesn’t necessarily make you a Christian (or not a Christian). The universal Church, the body of Christ, isn’t a building or a denomination. But in this instance, I was gladdened to have a place and a time to worship. And, as the author of Hebrews says, it would be unwise to forsake the gathering of believers where possible.

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

This, I think, highlights an often overlooked aspect of church. Worship is for the Lord, yes, and it’s the most important part of any service. But church meetings serve the secondary purpose of keeping us together, rooted in our faith. In this way, as the passage describes, we can help prevent one another from falling into unrepentant sin with the Word and a gentle hand.

I understand a lot of the reluctance to attend a church. Believe me, I really do. As a socially anxious/shy/reserved/introverted kind of man, person to person interaction is both worrying and exhausting. Thus, singing and/or meet-and-greet style happenings are not typically my forte. Perhaps there is an overemphasis on such things in the modern church, but I’m not the most qualified or unbiased to talk about that.

I do know that I felt a great amount of joy when I went to the church and sat in the pew and prepared myself to listen to the Word of God. That’s what truly matters, not my anxieties or reservations about going, not my fears of getting behind the wheel, but paying attention to His will.

“But as it is written: What eye did not see and ear did not hear, and what never entered the human mind—God prepared this for those who love Him. Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

I’m thankful He gave me the courage and resolve I needed to leave the trappings of my house and seek fellowship. If it were not for Him, I don’t know that I would’ve ever put behind me the things which imprisoned me. Praise Him and His name.

Thanks for reading, have a great week, and stay tuned for more updates about my books and this website.