Church hurt is one of the deepest, most complicated wounds you can carry. It doesn’t come from strangers—it comes from spiritual family. From people you once trusted. People who spoke for God… and misrepresented Him.
I’ve experienced it. Up close. And I know I’m not alone.
I’ve heard the stories. I’ve walked with friends through it.
I’ve watched women silenced, survivors discredited, and leaders protected while victims quietly disappear.
Sometimes I’ve wanted to walk away altogether.
Sometimes I’ve wondered if Church could ever feel like a safe place again.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
But what if there’s another way to respond?
What if the Bible doesn’t dismiss your pain—but meets you in it?
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on a passage in 1 Samuel 3.
It’s the story of a boy named Samuel—young, faithful, growing up inside a system that was full of corruption.
And yet, God still called him. Still spoke to him. Still used him to shift a nation.
This is what I’ve learned from Samuel’s story:
Healing is possible. Obedience is still necessary. And even in the worst systems, God has not gone silent.
When Church Doesn’t Feel Safe
Let me give you a little context.
Samuel was raised under Eli, the high priest of Israel.
Eli wasn’t abusive—but he was passive. He allowed his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to use their priestly positions to harm others.
The Bible says they:
- Stole from God’s offerings
- Intimidated worshippers
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Slept with the women who served at the entrance of the tabernacle (1 Sam. 2:22)
It was spiritual abuse.
And Eli? He did nothing to stop it.
If anyone had a reason to walk away from the Church—it was Samuel.
But what strikes me is where we find Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:3
“Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.”
Not near Eli. Not near the ones abusing power.
He was lying near the ark of God—the presence of the Lord.
And when God began calling his name—Samuel didn’t have to run to find Him. He was already in position.
1. Stay in Position (Don’t Retreat from God)
Church hurt makes you want to leave everything.
Not just the building. But your purpose. Your calling. Even your intimacy with God.
But Samuel teaches us:
Stay near the Presence—even if the people around you fail.
Samuel had to run to Eli when he thought he called his name.
But when Samuel understood it was God speaking? He didn’t have to move.
He was already there. Already close. Already in position.
That’s our posture in the middle of spiritual pain:
We don’t stay in danger. But we do stay in position—spiritually.
Don’t confuse a broken system with a broken God.
Don’t let leaders push you away from the One who called you.
Stay near the ark.
2. Stay in Prayer (Don’t React—Discern)
In verses 4–10, God calls out to Samuel multiple times.
And every time, Samuel thinks it’s Eli.
Even though Eli represents the dysfunction Samuel’s living through, Samuel still honors him. He doesn’t lash out. He doesn’t rage. He waits. He prays. He listens.
Eventually, Samuel says the words that change everything:
“Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” (1 Sam. 3:10)
In a time when there were no widespread visions and God’s word was rare, Samuel stayed in a posture of prayer.
That’s our second response to church hurt:
Don’t react. Discern.
Is this leader like Saul—power-hungry and dangerous?
Or are they like David—flawed, but after God’s heart?
Not every wound means you’re supposed to leave.
And not every assignment is meant to be permanent.
But you won’t know unless you pray.
“One of the most subtle burdens God ever puts on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning other souls… It is not that we bring God into touch with our minds, but that we rouse ourselves until God is able to convey His mind to us about the one for whom we intercede.” - Oswald Chambers
3. Stay Obedient (Don’t Conform to Corruption)
Eventually, God speaks to Samuel directly—and it’s not an easy word.
He tells him that Eli’s time is up. That judgment is coming. That change is on the way.
And even though Samuel was just a boy—even though Eli raised him—he told him everything (1 Sam. 3:18).
That moment changed history.
Because Samuel would go on to:
- Anoint Saul as Israel’s first king
- Rebuke him when he disobeyed
- Anoint David, the man after God’s own heart
-
And through David’s line… Jesus would one day be born
Here’s what that means for us:
Your obedience might be the link between corruption and God’s next move.
If Samuel had shrunk back…
If he had stayed quiet to avoid offense…
If he had chosen comfort over calling…
He might have forfeited his role in the redemptive story of Christ.
Sometimes obedience means staying.
Sometimes it means leaving.
Sometimes it means speaking up in love—even when it costs you everything.
But it never means conforming to dysfunction just to keep the peace.
You don’t have to become like Eli just because you were led by him.
What Now?
You might be reading this and thinking:
“But I’m not ready to trust again.”
“I’m still bleeding.”
“I’m too angry to pray.”
And I want to tell you—that’s okay.
God is not asking you to pretend.
He’s asking you to stay close enough to hear when He calls.
He’s asking you to lay near the ark, even when leaders disappoint you.
He’s asking you to discern, not just react.
He’s asking you to obey, not conform.
You may have been hurt in His house—but you are still called.
You may have cried in the temple—but you are still chosen.
And yes—He is still speaking.
A Prayer for the Wounded:
“Lord, for every person who’s been wounded in Your name—
For the ones who were silenced, dismissed, or harmed by leadership—
Speak.
Restore their hearing.
Return their hope.
Remind them that You are not like Eli.
You are just. You are safe. You are healing.
Raise up Samuels again.
People who stay in position, pray in discernment, and obey without fear.
Speak, Lord—Your servants are listening.”