How to cope with disappointment and cooling toward church life?

Trials make us experienced. Photo: blog.predanie

A person usually comes to the Church especially vulnerable, for many different reasons. That is why any rude word, indifference, or unkindness within church walls is felt much more sharply than in the outside world. Unfortunately, the culture of welcoming someone who has come to church for the first time has not developed everywhere. Stories of rudeness, irritation, or sheer foolishness that pushed someone away are always sad to hear, and above all one wants to apologize to everyone who has faced this. But it is very important not to lock yourself within this pain and not to leave the Church. For in it there is something incomparably greater than human weaknesses: the Lord Himself, for whose sake we cross the threshold of the church.

One must remember: people remain people, while God is God. We all at times are tired, irritable; everyone has, at least once, wounded a neighbor by a word or deed. It is worth placing ourselves in the other’s position and reminding ourselves: “The same may happen to me, and perhaps someone has also suffered from me.” Yielding, repentance, and forgiveness from the heart – this is the key.

If a conflict occurs with a priest, do not be afraid to approach him and speak openly. Often it turns out that disagreements are overcome much more easily than we expected.

We should not forget that spiritual cooling is related not only to the fact that we ourselves may feel hurt, but also to why it arises. Getting accustomed to the holy, losing the fear of God, and losing the sense of God’s living presence – this is what makes people in church inattentive and hurtful toward one another. But if we ourselves strive to keep the memory of God’s presence, then we also meet our neighbor with love and are less scandalized by others’ weaknesses.

Of course, everyone wishes church life would always be joyful and without complications. But it is precisely trials that make us experienced. Many believers, over the years of their journey, have gone through everything: from severity in trifles and total cooling – to encounters with holy pastors and, alas, heavy temptations. From the feeling that everything is clear – to the realization that in fact I know nothing. All this is difficult, but it is precisely these “waves” that teach us humility, depth, genuine faith, and the ability to echo the Apostle Paul in saying: “For to me, to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).

Read also