Barriers

Written by Jason Haines

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” -Romans 5:3-5

Barriers, what can I say, most of us have faced many over the past few years and it has been extremely difficult for all of us? But most of us have found our way through and came out better on the other side. In matter in fact many of us have come out the other side finding we can work elsewhere, from home, or that we don’t need a job anyways because we see the things, we thought we needed we do not need any longer. We found out what our wants were and realized those wants were not needed any longer. I was no different, but I really started realizing what I didn’t need even before the pandemic had started. Now part of this was because I wanted to go out on my own, but I also started to have thoughts that created values for me and my family. I think God knew I was coming back to him and was looking out for me with open arms.

You know I never thought I would be posting stories about God. In my past I thought church and God were stupid and for hypocrites who thought they were better than me and were only trying to act as such. Little did I know I was the hypocrite and the one who thought he was too good for others, because I went to church and found a lot of people who were exactly like me. Imperfect. Each one of them. All of us are fighting our own demons, pasts, and suffering through something. But all of us are trying, asking for forgiveness, and forgiving those we thought did us wrong.

It has been hard but fulfilling. I think of it this way. Doing what is easy does not benefit my long-term growth for myself or my family, but when I work to get to the simple the rewards will be immense. That is what keeps me going because I don’t want to face the barriers that were controlling me before, I want to live for the glory. I am not content, satisfied but I am joyful where I am because I know it is where the Lord wants me at this time. ?

I do not write these stories for anything other than to invite you to church with me and see the world from a different view. Regardless of whether we are in the same area or not, I invite you to church to maybe see things in a different light.?