discipleup podcast

Disciple Up # 232

Should Worship Make Me Comfortable?

By Louie Marsh, 10-13-2021

 

Intro.

 

https://www.quora.com/Going-to-Church-makes-me-uncomfortable-but-I-want-a-good-relationship-with-God-Should-I-just-go?share=1

 

Going to Church makes me uncomfortable, but I want a good relationship with God. Should I just go?

 

Nathaniel Ziegler  Answered May 6, 2019

If I were you, I would start looking into other churches and other denominations to see if I could find one where I was more comfortable. The discomfort you feel might be God's signal that this particular church is not right or good for you.

 

God meets people where they are at and tries to guide them down the path toward His Kingdom. Sometimes, a congregation, pastor, or church is focused on a spot where an individual is not. In such a case, it is best to find another church.

 

It helps a relationship with God to attend a church. However, it is possible to have a relationship without church. If you decide not to attend church, you will need to be open to God in other ways. You will, also, need a support system outside a congregation (good to have, anyway, but vital if you are not getting any support from a congregation).

 

Best wishes! I hope you find what you are looking for soon. Let your sense of discomfort/comfort be your guide. And, stay open to messages from God in other areas of your life. If you want a relationship with God, you will have one. Peace!

 

Barrie Davis  Updated May 7

If going to church makes you uncomfortable. then stop going.

 

You cannot “buy” a relationship with God by enduring discomfort.. otherwise you would be able to buy a better one by scourging yourself..

 

… (whipping your body with a chain that's got spikes on)..

 

… and that idea is not on trend any more, even amongst the most devout.

 

My advice is, get back in your comfort zone, give the religious rituals a rest, and then see what happens to your relationship with God. It may improve, it may stay the same, it may even disappear altogether…

 

Whatever it is, you will not have been forced into it by the expectations of other church-goers.

 

You were talking about YOUR relationship with God, after all.

 

Shawn Murphy, Studied over 18 religions   Answered May 7, 2019

This is what Jesus tells about prayer and worship.

 

Matt 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

Jesus did not say to go to church to find God, He taught that we need find God in our heart and soul, not wear our belief on our sleeve. The best way to discover God and His Laws is in nature - studying His creation. If you study His creation, you will find few churches that teach His Laws.

 

Religion and churches are man’s creation, not God’s.

 

There is one important thing that Jesus told us about community to remember. When two or more are gathered in my name, do this in memory of me. (Matt 18:20) So, it is good to get together with like minded people, who believe the Jesus is our King, and remember Him. You do not need a church to do this. You can remember the Last Supper every time that you sit down to eat with your family.

 

*****

“20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”” (Matthew 18:20, ESV)

 

“13When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.” (Joshua 5:13–15, ESV)

 

“1Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:1–3, ESV)

 

“24Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,” (Acts 16:24–25, ESV)

 

“10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet 11saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” 12Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” (Revelation 1:10–18, ESV)