Why Does the Church Hurt Sometimes—and How Can the Holy Spirit Heal It?
Every believer has likely experienced both the beauty and the brokenness of church life. There are the mountaintop moments—powerful worship, answered prayers, lives transformed. But there are also the valleys—disappointment, misunderstanding, even deep hurt within the very place meant to bring healing.
This tension isn’t new. In Acts 6:1–7, the early church faced its own painful challenge: widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. What could have become a divisive fracture instead became a Spirit-filled turning point. The apostles sought God’s wisdom, chose leaders “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3), and the result was striking: unity, growth, and care for every person.
The Problem: Overlooked People
Acts 6 opens with murmuring. Some believers were being unintentionally neglected. Isn’t that how hurt often begins? Not necessarily from malice, but from oversight. The danger comes when whispers turn into division.
The Spirit’s Solution: People, Not Just Programs
The apostles didn’t scramble to build a better system. Instead, they invited Spirit-filled people into the problem. Every role, from preaching to serving tables, required wisdom, character, and the Spirit’s empowerment (Acts 6:3–5). In other words, nothing in God’s house is “ordinary.” Every task, whether big or small, matters—and every believer is called to carry it out with the Spirit’s help.
The Result: Healing and Growth
The outcome was nothing short of miraculous. Scripture says, “The word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly” (Acts 6:7). Even more, those previously forgotten were now fully seen and cared for. True revival doesn’t just look like large crowds—it looks like no one slipping through the cracks.
The Invitation for Us Today
The early church reminds us that healing begins when Spirit-filled believers step in with faith and humility. Instead of waiting for “someone else” to fix things, God calls His people to be the answer. See a need? Pray, and then step into it. Notice someone overlooked? Encourage, pray, and serve.
Jesus promised the Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), who fills every believer—not just a select few. And when His people yield to Him daily, churches move from hurting to healthy, from divided to united, from surviving to thriving.
Church Hurt and Healing
Acts 6 describes widows being overlooked. Have you ever experienced a moment where you (or someone you know) felt overlooked in church? How did you see God bring healing, or what could have helped?
Gossip vs. Going to the Source
The text mentions “murmuring” (Acts 6:1). Why is it easier to complain sideways than to bring an issue to the right people? What does this passage teach us about dealing with problems in a healthy way?
Every Role Needs the Spirit
The apostles required even those serving tables to be “full of the Spirit” (Acts 6:3). How does this challenge the way we view “ordinary” tasks in the church today?
Unity as a Miracle
Verse 5 says the whole group was pleased with the solution—a rare miracle! What can we do, personally, to protect and pursue unity in the church?
Be Filled, Fill a Need
The blog ends with two invitations: be full of the Spirit, and fill the needs you see. Which of those speaks most to you right now, and what’s one step you could take this week to live it out?