Hurricane Ian. Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Katrina.
In these three hurricanes alone, an estimated 338 billion dollars worth of damage was done, and 2,226 lives were lost.
Meteorologists today often give us minute by minute updates on the strength of approaching storms, eyewitness reports of the damage they’ve already caused, and a fairly accurate trajectory of where the hurricane is headed next. And these hurricanes were no exception.
But people still chose not to leave. They ignored the signs and didn’t listen to the warnings because they believed nothing bad was going to happen to THEM. They thought they were prepared enough to ride things out. They were certain that the storm wasn't as bad as it seemed.
And because of this, the consequences were disastrous.
If a storm is coming your way that has left devastating destruction in its path, run. Get out. Find safety.
If a storm is coming your way that has left devastating destruction in its path, run. Get out. Find safety.
And likewise, If you come across a spiritual leader that has left a trail of brokenness, abuse, and pain in their wake, run. Get out. Find safety.
Don’t assume that nothing bad could happen to you, that you are spiritually mature enough to ride things out, or that things aren’t really as toxic as others make them seem. Pay attention to that feeling in your gut that something isn’t quite right and test that feeling against the truth of God’s Word. (It might just be the Holy Spirit.) And don’t ignore warnings from others by writing them off as disgruntled former members who just weren’t as “on mission” as you. Often, those former members have scars to show you from the damage they’ve suffered under an authoritarian leader or an abusive system.
Sometimes leaders can turn things around, and we serve a God who joyfully gives second chances. But those second chances usually follow brokenheartedness and deep repentance over sin, and compliance with necessary guardrails put in place to prevent the behaviors from happening again. Restoration never comes just because enough time has passed or because God in his grace is going to overlook the damage an abusive leader has inflicted.
Storms are destructive. Damage takes time to fix. Wounds take time to heal. And trust takes time to rebuild.
If you are able, move out of the storm’s path. But if you find yourself in the aftermath, know that God can pick up the broken pieces and put you back together again.