The hurting

I've been thinking about why people church-hop so much.

People go to one church, they get what they can from that church, until they've got there entertainment from that church, and move on to the next one. This happens over and over again. Church isnt about sitting back and watching, taking in, and getting spoon fed. I really, really believe that it is about relationship. Because God didnt put us on this earth to be alone, and made us to be not only in relationship with him, but also with others. And when people come to a church, and cant get a relationship, this can cause them to leave. I would rather go to a desolate old church with an organ, and have relationship with people, than go to a massive church with millions of people, have awesome 'annointed' worship, but nobody notice me.

2 Corinthians 9:13: Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

A lady I know used to have this 'gift', when she knew if someone was hurting, or in trouble, and she continuously would be getting these 'vibes' about this one girl in our youth group. I'm pretty sure she still does to this day. I dont know if this is a spiritual gift, or just something God stirs in your spirit. And how to fix things when you feel like someone is hurting? I believe it is prayer, understanding, compassion, love, and relationship. People think that just by praying for someone, it will fix things. Dont get me wrong, it can, and prayer is wonderful and works! But dont limit God in the ways he works. God can work through YOU! My main point here is relationship is important.

God may put someone on your heart that you just can't stop thinking about (realistically speaking, Im not talking about like being in love, more out of concern or something.) When our youth group in my home town had just been established, and the bunch of us were only month-old christiansour youth leader was explaining to us the above concept, of how sometimes thats how God wants us to pray for someone. One of the girls said that she had one of her friends on her mind constantly in the past week. So we prayed for that girl. The next day, on the front page of the newspaper was a report of a murder. The person murdered? That girls cousin.. See what I mean! A bit too freaky to be a coincidence?