"I Just Can't Go": The Importance of Gathering with the Local Church
November 18, 2021 • by Katherine Pittman
Exhaustion flooded my soul. The relentless barrage of noise and bickering children weighed heavily upon me. I should have been getting ready for our church's evening prayer meeting, but after a day of constant crazy, the thought of gathering with the saints sent anxiety through my heart. I sat at the kitchen table, unmoved, as darting thoughts flashed through my mind.
"Most of the saints are so much older..."
"They have no idea how exhausting it is to keep kids alive all day..."
"They're just going to judge me for being late..."
"Is there a stain on this shirt? Ugh. I'm such a mess..."
But my husband's encouragement persisted. It was my turn to go, he gently reminded—and wouldn't it be a nice break? A break?! Though skeptical of his suggestion, I grabbed my Bible and grumpily dragged myself to the car.
Moments later I stepped through the familiar doors and the sound of hymn singing washed over my soul. An older sister turned to extend a welcoming smile, and the weight began to lift. My eyes scanned the room of familiar faces—many who've sent baby gifts and brought dinners to our home; youth parents, who've cheered for us as we served their teens; and dozens more with whom we've shared prayers and labored side-by-side.
Tears streamed down my face as I realized all those previous thoughts—feeling judged, the heaviness, thinking everyone was against me—were imagined phantoms trying to hinder me from gathering with the Lord's people.
In today's fast-paced world, the thought of joining a church prayer meeting or gathering with brothers and sisters for a Bible study (sometimes even on Sunday morning) can seem overwhelming. It's one more thing on top of our already-hectic day. Speculations swirl through our minds. Darting thoughts remind us of the faults of others—and ourselves. We're tired, and it's easy to make excuses to keep us from assembling with the saints.
But friends, amidst these weary, heavy days, our greatest need—apart from Christ himself—is to be among the Lord's people. So when these thoughts come—and come they will—it can be helpful to hold tightly to these truths.
“Amidst these weary, heavy days, our greatest need—apart from Christ himself—is to be among the Lord’s people.”
The Lord Desires us to be Together
Towards the end of Hebrews, the author says, "let us consider how to stir one another up to love and good works...not neglecting to meet together” (Heb. 10:25). Friends, if we're going to encourage each other to stand in the Lord in these strange days, to build each other up, to comfort one another (Rom. 1:12), to strengthen—and be strengthened by—one another, we need to be among the Lord's people.
Paul described one church practice by saying, "as often as you do this" (1 Cor. 11: 26), reminding us that our gathering together shouldn't be infrequent. And in the book of Acts, the young church leaves us the example of saints gathering daily—for fellowship, ministry, the breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42).
Of course, we can meet the Lord when we're alone in our bedrooms or when we pray on our walks or linger over the Word. And we should fight for these hidden times each day. But there's something different about "two or three gathered in [His] name" that doesn't happen when believers are apart (Matt. 18:20). "For there I am among them," Jesus told his disciples. There is an aspect of his presence that only comes when we're with the church.
And can we not agree? Have you experienced the joy that comes when you worship with other believers? Have you read the Word with a small group and gleaned insight into the Scriptures that you'd never noticed before? Have you gathered with two or three to pray through a heavy burden—only to experience peace and relief, finally discovering the way through?
Yet as much as the Lord desires to gather his people together…
The Enemy Seeks to Divide
In John 10, Jesus warns us that the enemy seeks "to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). Does that mean every time you don't feel like gathering with the saints that Satan is working behind the scenes? Probably not. But Satan hates the church. He'd love to keep us scattered and separated.
Daniel further warns that the enemy will "wear out the saints" as we near the last days (Daniel 7:25). And Peter reminds us how "the devil prowls around like a lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). When does a lion grab his prey? Not when they're with the pack—but when he can find one alone. As we encounter obstacles that tempt us to stray from the saints, we should remain on watch. "For we are not ignorant of his designs" (2 Cor. 2:11), Paul tells the Corinthian believers.
And when those excuses arise, or the accuser begins to inject thoughts (see Rev. 12:10) that lead us to conclude it'd be better to stay home, we need to "take every thought captive" (2 Cor. 10:5). Is this dark thought true? Does it align with the word of God? Does it come from a God who is for me, who canceled my debt at the cross, who desires me to come and draw near?
Sometimes we're able to recognize something is not from Christ, yet the heaviness remains. But friends, if this happens, we need to...
Faith it!
We're the people of God, called to walk by faith—not feelings. Sometimes—especially when it comes to church gatherings—that means we "faith it," as my husband often says. We don't always "feel" a church gathering. Sometimes our Sunday morning bed seems so cozy or we're legitimately tired, and after a long day it seems like it should be okay to curl up and scroll through our phones. Or we've been around people all day, and our introverted self would prefer to hide away for some rest. And of course, there are times when we need to hang back.
“We’re the people of God, called to walk by faith—not feelings.”
But friends, we have another life in us, Christ’s life—that doesn't grow tired or weary; a life that gains new strength as we wait upon him (Isaiah 40:28-31). We serve a God who is ever-present, ready to help in time of need (Psalm 46:1). And as we grow in the Lord, we're called to increasingly step into this life of faith. We obey first. We gather—not because we feel like it, but because the God who knows what is best asks us to. And when we feel weak, tired, or weighed down, we call on his name, and then we walk out the door by faith, remembering the Lord's promise to be among his people, and "knowing well that as our hearts begin to worship, we'll be blessed because we came" (As We Gather, by Tommy Coomes and Mike Fay).
In Psalm 133, David says, "how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity..." (v. 1) Friends, have you tasted this blessing that comes, this glory of being together, gathered in his name, with the people of God? When all is right in the world, when your heart swells with joy, and you can say with David, truly, “a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere" (Psalm 84:10).
It's true, we may not see that glorious church every time we're together. "We all often offend," James tells us (James 3:2, Darby translation), and "God saves mean people, too," my husband frequently reminds me. But as we stick together with the saints, "faithing-it" and showing up when we'd rather stay home—we grow to appreciate what a gift the Lord has given us in the body of Christ.
As we navigate misunderstandings, we learn to forgive those who've hurt us (and to apologize when we offend others.) As we spend time with older saints, we discover a depth of life that far surpasses those quick Christian blurbs we catch on social media—and he begins to humble us. We travail for new believers and discover the absolute necessity of prayer.
Friends, this is God's design for our Christian growth and for his glory in the church: that we would be among his people, strengthened in his presence, giving and receiving, “joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped” (Eph. 4:16)—discovering more of him, to God the Father’s glory.
Katherine Pittman is wife to Geoffrey, and homeschooling mom of three. She is the creator of Write the Word on my Heart, a Bible Memory curriculum for little ones, and occasional host of the Books and Parchments podcast. She serves alongside her husband in youth and college ministry, burdened to see another generation fall in love with the Lord and his church. Connect with Katherine on Instagram, or find more of her writing at chroniclesofmomia.com
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