When Christians Fail Us

I have gathered over the past few years that many of us have been disappointed or hurt by Christians. Those of us dealing with chronic illness or any other long-term trial have probably especially encountered some hypocritical actions or words on a Christian’s part when we needed help and love the most. And whether those actions have hurt you, hurt your view of just those people, hurt your view of all proclaiming Christians, or built a wall between you and God altogether, I feel the need to point out that if you too have been hurt by proclaiming Christians, the hurt they have caused you—well-intentioned or not—is a reflection of them and not a reflection of the God that Christians love and serve. Their mistakes are all on them, not on God. 

We tend to expect more of Christians, don't we? I sure do. And we should. 

But humans are still humans even when they are followers of God. 

The difference is the hope that we have and the guidance that we have to do better—and it is up to us to listen to that guidance. But Christians will still fail you and still mess up because that is human nature, something we do not suddenly become totally resistant to when we accept Christ. We know better, and we should do much better, but we will still sadly fail. And while that does not excuse any hurt that has been caused by such failure, it is still the truth. 

So please know: I will fail you; the Christians in your life will fail you, just as anyone in your life will fail you at some point.

But my God will not and cannot fail you. He truly is perfect. His ways are higher than anything that earth’s greatest, deepest minds can begin to process. And He is the reason I have hope.

He is my hope.

He is the reason anyone can have true hope: hope that waits all night while we sleep and meets us when we wake up. Hope that holds our hand through every excruciating moment of chronic illness. Hope that cannot die, no matter the unimaginable pain and sorrow that life can and will bring. Hope that carries us all the way into eternity, to a heaven we cannot imagine where we will finally see our Hope face to face.

I have been hurt, yes, by many Christians. I have wrestled with faith in the face of 6+ years of chronic illness, clinging only to the truths I cannot forget from a lifetime of Christianity. And hope has followed me, waited for me, and burst into glowing brilliance when I finally looked its way. It has not failed me. God has not failed me. 

And He never will.

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If this kind of hope blows your mind and you have any questions at all, please feel more than welcome to comment or message me.