So you decided to stop serving the Lord? Perhaps the elders made a decision you didn’t like, and your decision was to quit serving the Lord? Ma...ybe the preacher preached too harsh, too negative, a sermon that made you think “he’s preaching that sermon at me,” so in response, you decided I’ll stop serving the Lord? Or perhaps, you saw “hypocrites” in the church, and being tired of the “hypocrites” you decided I’ll stop serving the Lord. Maybe a family member, or a long time friend mistreated you and you decided, I’ll stop serving the Lord. What do all these responses have in common?
One, these responses indicate a focus on the wrong individuals.
Two, these responses indicate a fixation on “taking it out” on the wrong person—the Lord. But wait, “I still love the Lord, I just don’t like some who claim to be His people, and for that I’m justified to be absent from Bible Study and worship. I’m justified not to visit those who are struggling with sickness, sorrow, and sin.”
Three, these responses indicate a failure to recognize that “what I do only hurts me” is a bunch of nonsense because in reality it also hurts the very One who suffered for you—Christ (Hebrews 6:6). Please consider for a moment, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). Perhaps if we spent more time being focused of the Master than on the mistreatment from others our responses would be different, and our lives would be more faithful and fruitful.
Further, “consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). I dare say that none of us have been as mistreated by so many as Christ was. Yet, imagine if Christ would have quit on the world because of the world’s mistreatment of Him?
When we contemplate the mistreatment suffered by Christ, what mistreatment have we suffered that is such that we have the right to quit serving Him?
When we consider Him, truly consider Him, we have not be so mistreated, and especially by Him, that we are justified to stop serving Him. Thus, may we Consider Him, and faithfully serve rather than considering the 10,000 “reasons” to forsake Him.