"The church is full of fake people who just pretend to care about me."
How it sounds in your head: Everyone's playing a role on Sunday morning. They ask how I'm doing but don't actually want the real answer. The moment I shared something vulnerable in small group, I became the 'project.' Nobody texts unless they need a volunteer.
"If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?"
-- 1 John 4:20Source: Trauma from performative Christianity that values appearance over authenticity, reinforced by social media curated spirituality.
She's watched leaders say one thing from stage and do another in private. When she needed help, the people who posted #blessed ignored her texts, but expected her to serve in kids' ministry every week.
Elijah thought he was the only one left who truly followed God, felt completely alone and betrayed by Israel's fake worship. God instantly revealed there were 7,000 others who hadn't bowed to Baal—Elijah wasn't alone, he just couldn't see his real family yet.
I REFUSE the lie that fake people define my faith. IT IS WRITTEN that God knows who truly loves Him and who's pretending. My identity isn't found in a building or a small group—it's found in Christ alone. IT IS WRITTEN that nothing can separate me from the love of God, not even hypocrites in the church. I am Abraham's seed by covenant, blessed with the BARAK that protected liars and deceivers—how much more does it cover me when OTHERS lie and deceive? I stand as a daughter of the King, and His genuineness overwhelms their fakeness.
Your Father is running toward you even when His other kids are standing around judging. He's not waiting for the church to get it right before He embraces you—He's already thrown the robe around your shoulders while you still smell like the world that wounded you.