Mrsmuzz,
I'm with you. I did the Purpose book in a group of people all of whom said it changed their lives. I loved the book, but came out of the program with the understanding that my only purpose is to be myself.
And who in the heck is that?

Still trying to figure that one out.
smile

Thanks for your comments.

Lynn I am surprised at myself. I was the "church lady" for many years. I was in charge of church membership for heaven's sake. I was the church cheerleader and the one who lead the church membership classes. I've always preached about the importance of the community of faith and still believe it in my heart. Maybe I just need a break.

All I know is it doesn't feel right.

Julie, your comment about spiritual maturity is right on and it makes me feel worse, but that's okay. Church attendance is often about discipline. We need to put ourselves inthe building and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. I'm working on it. Maybe this Sunday!

Chatty, you are on the right track. It's not about everyone else. It's about you and your Lord.

Smile, you don't have a thing to worry about. You stay home and take care of yourself. Has anyone from your church been to visit, or made you a meal, etc?

DJ, I hear ya, but I can't agree with the comment about being sensitive to the spirit and not being in a church. MANY of the people in church are full of the spirit. Thank God! Unfortunately, we humans focus on the negativity and the gossip that infects churches. We are all sinful people gathered in God's house. None of us are without sin. It's just that some people's sins are more visible.

Smile, mrs muzz, and Julie, we did The Purpose Driven Life. The Forty Days of Purpose is different, isn't it?

Donna, this is the crazy thing. My eyes have never been more focused on God. Honestly. I draw nearer every day I do my devotional time. That's why this is puzzling.

Some comments to interject in this thread (these are just some thoughts that have come to me and I'm grateful for the chance to ponder them - they've helped me sort some things out for myself – )

I believe that it’s natural to experience seasons of dryness in worship. I sometimes think we are sent these on purpose. We judge everything these days by what we get out of it – “was it good for you?”. We make a lot of our choices based on how we feel or whether it’s of value to us. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes a bad. I believe seasons of dryness are sent to us just to see how faithful we can be. I think God says to us “when I take everything you want out of it – will you still come to me?” We are being stripped of our “self” absorption. We may be faithful in bible reading or prayer, but are we also faithful in worship? He who is faithful in all things ask us to be faithful in a few.

Some Sundays, if it were not for the fact that it’s my turn to serve, or my son’s turn to be crucifer or some other reason we have to be there, then I would be so easily tempted to just stay home. I arrive at church slightly angry with the world and the commitments I’ve made. Rarely does that mood stay. No, the pastor’s sermon was not necessarily the most uplifting that day (some Sundays I can’t even tell you what he spoke about), yes there are people there that try my patience (the elderly lady who’s just a bit pushy and never gets my name right no matter how many times I correct her) and yes sometimes it feels like “going through the motions” – but the anger doesn’t stay.

Somehow the Lord and I are building a relationship. If I judged every Sunday by what “I” got out of it there would be little room left for the Lord. And still He whispers “even when you’d rather be at home, will you still come to Me?”

My other thought is that the heart of Christianity is “fellowship”. We are called to worship together. If you want to be a solitary, then best find some other religion. We work out the imperfections of ourselves through this “doing” church. Is the church full of perfect people? I hope not because then there is no place for imperfect me. Can the church teach me to love imperfect people? I hope so. Does the church hurt people – sadly yes. I’m not sure churches will ever get it 100% right, but they better keep trying.

And just for the record – yes, I’m experiencing the “season of dryness” myself right now and my church is not always a happy place these days because of some conflicts that need working out. But I can’t just walk away. This time of dryness, this period of conflict has so much to teach me about loving as Christ did. An hour of my Sunday seems a small sacrifice of time, compared to a much larger sacrifice freely given to me.

I am so grateful for this place to discuss issues around faith. Thanks everyone. Evie, that's so wise. Dotsie, sorry to make you feel worse! unintentional! please forgive me. I think I am finding 40 days useful because a) it re-focuses on me Christ and b) my husband is doing it too, so we are "in tune".
Today I read in Mark about putting new wine into new wine skins. I need some new habits to match my renewed thinking. Maybe this is your problem, Dotsie, you need new ways of expressing your growing faith - and the old things you are used to doing at church are not a good match? Just a thought.

Dotsie,
Several of the people from church have visited me while I've been sick and a couple brought food. They've been wonderful.
I'm afraid it's just me. It is a big church with several services and no one knows if we are there or not. Like all churches, they encourage small groups, but we're just not in one yet and honestly they seem a little contrived. I'm not sure we want to join one. Mostly I just haven't been able to get us up and out of here on Sunday monring lately. I am just so tired all the time.
Dotsie, with all you do, maybe you're just plain tired also. Maybe you need to rest up for a while. God knows when you're tired and He will still be there when you are refreshed.
Attending "a" church is important, but having "The" Church inside your heart is essential. And Dots, your heart must be full to overflowing. There is no way that you are not in God's will. Love just shines from every word.
Don't stress. Surely we will both be back inside the building with renewed spirits when the time is right.
smile

I have been following this post and I want to put in my 2 cents.

I also have been in a church funk as well. I also believe that this happens to us for a purpose. My own example is the fact that I needed to get back in touch with my personal relationship with Christ.

In my case, I found that I was getting to the point of "playing church" rather than being involved in the worship, spiritually.

Personally, I just surrendered myself to God's Will, so I can allow the Holy Spirit to "nudge me" in which way I needed to go.

God created all of us differently, after all, we have different fingerprints, which would indicate that He wanted someone just like you.

Just as everyone shows their love to their family in a different way, I believe our personal relationship with God is different, as individuals.

Now having said all this, I have started to feel the urge to go back to church. Perhaps it is the Holy Spirit telling me that it is time to go back. I couldn't have said this 2 months ago.

I am likened to compare this scenario to a married couple who need a vacation and some time alone, away from all the daily routine and activities.

I also want to close in saying that I Love you all alot, and God Bless.

Cathi

[ March 01, 2005, 03:41 AM: Message edited by: Optimumsteps ]

Hi,
Wow, I just read all your posts and am going through similar things. How many of you feel overloaded? I believe I see that a lot in these posts and I feel the same way.
I agree about the building and people. I find some of the most critical and most postive people in the building.
Little sermonettes from my mother that I loved.
Going to church is a discipline. Just getting up and going on Sundays and getting there can be tough. Its Ok to miss some Sundays. When two or three are gathered together and it doesn't have to be a building. Mother went to Biola Bible School so I learned to listen to her especially when I didn't feel like going and learned it was OK. Loved the Vacation and yes, we all need them
even from Church.
Maggie

Evie, exactly.

Maggie, here is the way I look at the "When two or three are gathered together..." First of all when you are reading the Bible and getting into The Word, there is already two of you. One of Jesus name is The Word. Even though I have been in a church funk, I still attend my weekly Bible Study with my friends. In truth, I get more out of that, than I did the church.

God Bless,
Cathi

Reading through my Christianity Today this morning, and I came across this article "9.5 Theses on Worship" by Gary A. Parrett. Just wanted to share an excerpt from it that particularly struck me and seems to be along the lines of what we are discussing here:

"Any discussion of worship, then, must begin with the biblical concern for worship as a lifestyle, not merely as a formal gathering that features specifically "religous" actions. This is a them consistently affirmed, in most forceful language, throughout the Bible. In passages such as Isaiah 1:10-17 and Amos 5:21-24, God actually rejects the very worship practices that he had himself commanded of his people - assemblies, sacrifices, Sabbath observances, prayers, and the like - because these actions had been severed from a more fundamental commitment to lives of justice, mercy and humility (Mic. 6:8). Religious actions at religious gatherings of the community were not intended to be substitutes for a life devoted to the true worship of God but, rather, were to be its celebratory overflow."

Any comments? I haven't had a chance to look up the specific Bible references yet, but will.

Another thought I had about your "church funk" Dotsie - does your church offer any other services other than Sunday morning? We have a Tues. night "Quiet Communion" - a short service devoted to quiet prayer, followed by a less formal communion than Sunday. Many find this a much quieter time of devotion than the usual Sunday "hustle-bustle". Perhaps what you need to refresh you, is to change your "style" of Sunday worship??

Just wanted to add that I am thankful for this discussion and everyones thought/perspectives. I hadn't realized how much I am in need of, or miss, a good Bible study or something like it to talk some of these things out. Thanks.