Day 9: You're Fired!

Recently I have been boggled by something I hear happening in churches. It truly boggles my mind how some institutions can manipulate people. More and more I hear of people that are fired from a church and somehow are asked to “stick-around” or “we will call you in the future if we need you.” When a person gets let go from a church, it is different than a normal day job. In my opinion, the reason for this is that churches will typically handle a firing in a less than professional way. This causes hurt and issues of unforgivness on both sides. Usually the one that got fired will ultimately be the one forgiving when the when doing the firing should also be the one forgiving.

Now, when you are fired from any place…who would go back to work or help out as needed? This is the trend I am seeing. For the person being fired, it is very important to just leave and start fresh. In regards to the one doing the firing….cut them loose and realize that firing someone means to let them go. You are not free to manipulate them any longer.

When we forgive those that have hurt us as volunteers, staff, etc. it is important NOT to forget. Many times we are taught, “forgive and forget.” Honestly I do not see that being taught in scripture. Sometimes we are taught to “forgive and remember.” Remember the verse in 2 Peter 2:22 that says, “Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit,"^a]'> and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."? This scripture has many implications. Perhaps it is talking to the issue of returning to things that have hurt us in the past only to be hurt again. This can be a trend which ends up in a cycle of constant hurt and issues of forgiveness.

If you are cut loose by an institution/church then go. Do yourself a favor and go. The longer you stay in a situation you are not happy with, the more bitter you become. Start fresh and new and you will see your life become much happier.

In the words of Forrest Gump, “That’s all I got to say about that.”