Organized Religion vs. Fruitful Relationship

— Ephesians 4:29-32 —

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

 

I often wonder about what spurs me on in anger about things. After reading this scripture, two things stand out. "according to their needs" and "just as God forgave you". These are the things that I don't do right. I usually could care less about their needs and bypass the fact that God forgave me, and just continue to build up my anger. When I also read this, I can't but think of organized religion and how much it angers people including me. I have found myself so many times entering those doors and my "little group" and ignoring people outside that are truly in need. I find myself being so naive in that building. Just the politics and the leadership. Yet I find myself not seeking to understand and build them up according to their needs and I can feel the spirit grieving and convicting me. All the bitterness, rage, anger, whatever it is. I'm backwards, its a relationship with God that I try to organize and he just wants to live in me and through me. God doesn't use politics, we took what he called gifted and talented people and threw them into leadership when God just wanted to bless us with each other and have us grow in him. Throw money in the picture and you have a messy situation that God really intended to be beautiful. Not saying that money is bad, but that if faith is used instead of fear, alot of the stress will be illiminated. He wants my trust to be in Him, not in what it appears I'm seeing or I'm feeling. Seek to build them up according to their needs, and be like Christ and forgive and forget, not hold them to it, since christ never held me to mine, but only wants to draw me closer to Him.