safe to struggle

is it safe to struggle in life? is it safe to be honest about one's struggles in the church? can one expect compassion, or should one steele themself for judgment? do we consider one's situation, listen for the right words of brokenness and contrition, and penitent response? or do we automatically challenge, label, and create space?

sin kills. blatant tolerance and a blind eye, ignorant acceptance, and self-righteous justification only numb the death.

grace and love bring life. grace and love reclaim what was once dead. grace and love raise those killed and being killed by sin over and over again to a life that is hidden, rooted in God. grace and love allow honesty. grace and love allow struggle. grace and love see perfection in the process. grace and love see the difference between accountability and judgment.

grace and love say it's safe to struggle. but I'm not so sure that people are listening. people, even God's people, rush to either condemn or accept; both wearing the blindfold of self-righteous ignorance. sin misleads us into one extreme or the other. grace and love allows the struggle, discounts rejection, yet allows accountability, but all within the context of grace and love.

let's make it safe to struggle in our churches. let's let grace and love abound.*

* the context for this thought is scripture, which by no means turns a blind eye to sin, but speaks to the sinner in the loving voice of God Himself, saying, "is there no left to condemn you? then neither do I. go and sin no more."