Sunday, February 17, 2013

Joining a Church and Spiritual Gifts

Recently my husband wanted to join our church.  I didn't really grasp onto the idea too easily.  Maybe because I feel with that membership there would be expectations from me.  I know that as a church body you are suppose to all work together to strengthen one another.  I also know that some people are a heck of a lot more outgoing than I.  I drug my feet until one Sunday, the sermon ended and the pastor said that God sometimes wants us to step out of our comfort zones.  As I tried to push my husband into the aisle to go forward before I chickened out, he drug his feet and stood his ground.  He does not like going in front of people.  So we went home and decided the next Sunday he'd talk to the pastor about it.  And yes, the pastor said the next step was to come forward.  We did and felt welcomed by all and we didn't have to do anything too uncomfortable. 
Now that we are members I think, what is my place in this congregation?  This is the scary part.  I took a spiritual gift quiz and got 18 questions in and think, "this isn't helping"  First off I was part of a church for 11 years and it took me years to feel comfortable around "some" of the people.  And there were things I either volunteered for or was asked (pushed) to participate in.  I often left those experiences with a feeling of "that didn't go anywhere" or "i didn't fit in" or "nobody listens to me"  I realize though that I have too high of expectations from people.  
Then I am so socially shy that I have retreated to telling people I can't participate because I have SAD (social anxiety disorder).  My friend claims that isn't true.  I attended a women's Christian retreat with her (with great angst to myself).  She contends that I blended in and talked so easily with the other women.  And I felt like it came pretty easy.  Except for the time I had to speak in front of a room full of people!  And of the women I thought I bonded with only one of them tried to stay in contact after I reached out to all of them.
As a youth, I sang in church, I was a youth leader, I was in plays, I spoke in front of the church, but it was a congregation of about 30-50.  And I had mostly friends, and family members around me.
I feel there are people in churches that enjoy getting involved.  Those who love to organize events and those who love to teach.  I am not one of those people.  I want to be a pew warmer.  So that brings me back to why join a church if you don't plan on participating? 
I don't like church dinners, or gettogethers.  I only like getting together with individuals.  I feel most comfortable being around one or two people.  I have the same friends since grade and middle school.  I have made some new friends over the years, I suppose.  Some of which are older people, like my friend Lola.  And when I did hair, I enjoyed talking to my clients for the most part. 
I did get to a place in my life where it was harder and harder for me to face the public.  I wanted to stay at home and never be around another person (non-family/close friend) again.   So I ask God, "what can someone as socially awkward as I do for you?" and he brought me to a couple of online groups.  There I could share and sympathize with the members.  They helped me through a pretty rough time and I "hope" I helped them. 
A few years back I felt compelled to work with foster children so I inquired about CASA. but when it came around to class time I wasn't feeling good physically or emotionally.  And now I've offered to help with an organization that helps unwed mothers.  It was a out of my comfort zone for me to make that offer.  I will see how it goes when that class begins in April.
I think of Moses in the Bible.  He didn't like to speak in front of others, so God gave him Aaron.  And I hope somehow God is using me.  I know God is suppose to give us all gifts and I feel a little self conscious looking for my "strengths" or saying "I have the gift of..."  I just will trust He has a plan and it will fit in with whatever gifts I might have?
I did have something happen to me in church today that made me think that maybe God was using me.  I often think of people I know who need prayer through out my day.  Today it was during church.  So as I was praying to myself for this person, I prayed "God, I don't know why they need prayer" Almost immediately the pastor said something similar to "sometimes we don't know what to pray for, but God knows"  I felt like maybe God did recognize my prayers and was using me, even if it were just to pray for someone.  And saying "just to pray" is inaccurate because prayer, I believe is the Christian's greatest tool in this world!

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