23/01/2026
I LEFT CHURCH , NOT GOD. A THOUGHT TO REFLECT ON.
A few weeks ago, I shared a post asking why people stop going to church. Recently, a man approached me and said:
“Sister, I saw your post. Some of us still love God. We left church, but we did not leave God.” I asked him gently, "How is that possible?" He explained that people in the church
do terrible things. So, I asked him another question: "Are you perfect?"
He replied, " I am still better
than them even though I don’t go to church.”That response revealed something important .
Church was never meant for perfect people.
If it were, no one would qualify. The Church is a
place for sinners who know they need grace, healing, correction, and growth.
Then I shared a story with him: A man once said,
“I have left the fire, but I am still warm.” Someone asked, " How is that possible ?" He answered
“I took a burning coal from the fire and walked away. The fire is no longer necessary.”
At first, the coal was still hot.
It still gave light.
It still looked alive.
But with time, the warmth faded.
The light went out.
The coal became cold.
The truth became clear:
You can not stay warm when you separate yourself from the fire. This is the danger of saying " l left church but not God "
God is the source, yes,
but the Church is where the fire is kept burning:
where the Word is taught
where faith is strengthened
where believers sharpen one another.
You may still pray for a while. You may still feel close to God
for some time. But God did not
design faith to survive in isolation. Christianity is not a solo journey. God calls us into a body, a family, a community.
Leaving the Church because of people’s attitudes does not mean you chose God, it often
means you were focused on people in the first place.
People will fail, People will
disappoint. But Christ remains faithful.
You don’t leave God by words, but separating yourself from the place where faith is nourished slowly affects the heart. Stay close to the fire.
Not because the church is perfect but because you are not, and neither am I.
