Math has never come easy to me. I did the bare minimum in college to get my degree. Figuring out the value of X never made sense to me. Even worse was working with fractions. The formulas you have to implement to determine your answer were more confusing than the problem. One area where fractions are tough is in the church. When a small group of people breaks off in disagreement, it causes anxiety. Division in the Body of Christ is painful, but God can bring beauty out of it. One way is recognizing the approved among you.
1 Corinthians 11:19
“Indeed, it is necessary that there be factions among you, so that those who are approved may be recognized among you.”
Division is Tricky
Church division is a tricky thing, no matter what the situation is. People take sides, accusations are lodged, and friendships are broken. It takes a while for the church to recover. Amid those fractions, there can be a silver lining. They show who is approved and who isn’t. God is the one who approves people, and in times of trouble, the approved rise to the top. Division can reveal who is out of line with God’s will and those He wants to work through.
You’ll Be Surprised
When the dust settles, you will be surprised who has stood the test. Those mature saints who you throughs held to the truth and were rock solid are nowhere to be found. The ones with stellar reputations are often the first to run for the exits when trouble rears its head. As a leader, you look around, and the ones remaining are often a motley crew. You ask God, is this it? He replies that these are the ones who are approved. These are the foolish ones I want to use to confound the wise.
Recognizing the Approved Among You
If your church is going through a difficult time because a group of people is dividing it, look to the Lord. Ask Him to show you the ones who are approved by Him. Gravitate towards them and begin to pray for healing and reconciliation. A divided church is hard to stick with, but unless the Lord is leading you to leave, stay there and let God wort through you. You might win back some of the offended.