Series Title | Wounded but Still Worshipping: God’s Healing Journey | Day 2 – When Spiritual Harm Appears in the House of God

Yesterday, we began by acknowledging something that many believers experience but often struggle to talk about: Sometimes the wounds we carry come from our own people—other believers, fellow Christians, those within the household of faith.

Today, we go a little deeper.

Because sometimes the issue is not only that harm happens among believers, but it is that some people causing the harm do not even realise they are doing it.

Let me repeat that: There are Christians who genuinely believe they are serving God, but pride, jealousy, insecurity, control, or manipulation are operating in their lives without them recognising it. 

And this is dangerous, because when a person cannot see these things in themselves, they cannot confront them, they cannot confess them, and they cannot grow beyond them. So they remain stuck. Wrong but convinced they are right.

And the danger of that kind of spiritual blindness is that it not only affects the person carrying it, it also affects everyone around them.

Sometimes correction comes, and instead of receiving it as help, we see it as an attack. Instead of asking, “Lord, is there something in me that needs to change?” we interpret it as someone trying to insult us, undermine us, or challenge our authority.

But sometimes, Family, God sends correction because He loves us.

Proverbs reminds us that wise people receive correction, but pride resists it.

Proverbs 12:1 (KJV) “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”

Proverbs 9:8–9 (KJV) “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

And when pride resists correction, harmful behaviour continues unchecked.

This is why situations like this can become particularly dangerous in the Body of Christ. 

When destructive attitudes operate unchecked, pride, manipulation, jealousy, control, and hypocrisy can quietly infiltrate ministries, leadership spaces, and church environments. Confusion sets in, and we see the formation of these little groups and then breakaway ministries.

The Bible actually warns us about this.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:15 (KJV): “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

Notice something important here: Jesus did not say wolves would show up looking like wolves. He said they would appear in sheep’s clothing.

In other words, outwardly they look like part of the flock. They speak the language. They know the environment. They appear spiritual. But their influence brings harm.

The apostle Paul warned the early church about the same thing. 

In Acts 20:29–30 (KJV) he said: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”

Paul is saying something very serious here: Sometimes, the threat is not only from outside the church. Sometimes the problem arises from within.

The apostle John even described a specific example in 3 John 9–10, where a man named Diotrephes loved to have the preeminence—meaning he wanted prominence, control, and authority over others. His pride caused division and conflict in the church.

These attitudes are not new. Scripture has already shown us that they can appear anywhere believers gather.

But this is where we also have to talk about another reality: Some believers are very vulnerable. Not weak in a negative sense, but vulnerable because they are sincere, trusting, and hungry to grow spiritually. 

They respect spiritual authority. They want guidance. They want mentorship. They want to learn. And unfortunately, when environments are unhealthy, those sincere believers can sometimes be the ones most affected.

That is why discernment is so important. Discernment is not suspicion. Discernment is not judgmentalism. Discernment is spiritual awareness. It is learning how to recognise the difference between healthy spiritual leadership and harmful patterns. Because when destructive attitudes operate long enough, the environment begins to show signs.

The apostle Paul described one of those signs in Galatians 5:15 (KJV):

“But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”

In other words, when jealousy, strife, and rivalry dominate relationships among believers, the entire community can begin to suffer.

James also addresses this directly. James 3:16 (KJV) says: “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

Confusion, Family, is often one of the first signs that something is wrong. And this is why believers must learn how to spiritually “suit up.” Not with suspicion or fear, but with wisdom.

We suit up by staying rooted in Scripture. We suit up by developing discernment through prayer and the Word of God. We suit up by remembering that our relationship with God must never depend entirely on any human leader, personality, or ministry structure.

God can use people to guide us, encourage us, and teach us, but our faith must ultimately be anchored in Him.

When believers understand this, something powerful happens. Even if we encounter unhealthy situations, we do not lose our faith. We do not lose our direction. We do not walk away from God.

Instead, we grow wiser. Hallelujah. And we continue the journey.

Why? Because even when spiritual harm appears in places where we hoped to find safety, God is still able to guide, protect, heal, and strengthen those who keep their eyes on Him.

And that is part of the healing journey we are walking through this week: Wounded but still worshipping. 

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