What Might Have Been
How many times have you heard about a Korean church splitting? How many times have you personally been part of a church that has gone through a split? Sadly, it seems like a common experience for those in the Korean Seventh-day Adventist community. And it’s not without consequences. Church splits are a painful process that wound the church, and often leave people bitter and hurt. Who knows how many of our members have even fallen away from the church completely in the aftermath of these splits.
Even when our conflicts don’t lead to a full-blown split, they can cause strained relationships that fester for years. That underlying tension can crop up at the most inopportune times to create major obstacles when we are trying to fulfill our mission as a church. And it’s hard for the Holy Spirit to work among us when we are harboring those grudges toward one another. He operates most powerfully in an atmosphere of unity. If we want to cooperate with God, we need to be able to cooperate with one another. But that is often the hardest thing for us to do when we have all this tension from our past conflicts and splits. So how can we heal and work toward reconciliation?
I would like to share a vision from Ellen White, which is recorded in Chapter 19 of Testimonies to the Church Volume 8. It is entitled, “What Might Have Been.”
One day, Ellen White was writing a letter to the church in Battle Creek when she fell into vision. She saw a prayer meeting taking place where the Spirit of God was moving powerfully. As hearts were convicted, one man stood up to confess his lack of love for his brothers in the church. His confession sparked a chain reaction, and soon everyone was confessing to one another. Ellen White described it as “a Pentecostal season,” as the Holy Spirit was poured out in a mighty way.
As you read, try to imagine such a session of confession and repentance happening at your church. Imagine the people who hurt each other most deeply embracing one another and asking for forgiveness. Maybe you can think of a specific person who you would want to go up to yourself. Wouldn’t that bring so much healing and unity to the church? How much more would God be able to accomplish through us after such a prayer meeting?
What Might Have Been (Testimonies to the Church Volume 8, p.104 - 105)
“One day at noon I was writing of the work that might have been done at the last General Conference if the men in positions of trust had followed the will and way of God. Those who have had great light have not walked in the light. The meeting was closed, and the break was not made. Men did not humble themselves before the Lord as they should have done, and the Holy Spirit was not imparted.
I had written thus far when I lost consciousness, and I seemed to be witnessing a scene in Battle Creek.
We were assembled in the auditorium of the Tabernacle. Prayer was offered, a hymn was sung, and prayer was again offered. Most earnest supplication was made to God. The meeting was marked by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The work went deep, and some present were weeping aloud.
One arose from his bowed position and said that in the past he had not been in union with certain ones and had felt no love for them, but that now he saw himself as he was. With great solemnity he repeated the message to the Laodicean church: “‘Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.’ In my self-sufficiency this is just the way I felt,” he said. “‘And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’ I now see that this is my condition. My eyes are opened. My spirit has been hard and unjust. I thought myself righteous, but my heart is broken, and I see my need of the precious counsel of the One who has searched me through and through. Oh, how gracious and compassionate and loving are the words, ‘I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.’” Revelation 3:17, 18.
The speaker turned to those who had been praying, and said: “We have something to do. We must confess our sins, and humble our hearts before God.” He made heartbroken confessions and then stepped up to several of the brethren, one after another, and extended his hand, asking forgiveness. Those to whom he spoke sprang to their feet, making confession and asking forgiveness, and they fell upon one another's necks, weeping. The spirit of confession spread through the entire congregation. It was a Pentecostal season. God's praises were sung, and far into the night, until nearly morning, the work was carried on.
The following words were often repeated, with clear distinctness: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Verses 19, 20.
No one seemed to be too proud to make heartfelt confession, and those who led in this work were the ones who had influence, but had not before had courage to confess their sins.
There was rejoicing such as never before had been heard in the Tabernacle.
Then I aroused from my unconsciousness, and for a while could not think where I was. My pen was still in my hand. The words were spoken to me: “This might have been. All this the Lord was waiting to do for His people. All heaven was waiting to be gracious.” I thought of where we might have been had thorough work been done at the last General Conference, and agony of disappointment came over me as I realized that what I had witnessed was not a reality.”
Sadly, Ellen White’s vision did not come to pass in her day. She only saw it as what might have been, what could have happened. But God allowed her to see what He wanted to do amongst His hurt and bickering people. That is still what He wants to do in our churches today. What is stopping us from embracing His vision and allowing it to unfold in our churches? What is stopping you from standing up and acknowledging your own part in the church’s problems? Don’t wait for someone else to apologize to you first. When Jesus applies His salve to our Laodicean eyes, our vision will be clear to see our own faults. You don’t need Jesus’ help to see others’ faults – those were already obvious to you! May we humble ourselves and allow Jesus to bring healing to our churches through repentance and confession. Then His promise will be fulfilled, that He will come in and dine with us, and His presence will be found in our midst.
Currently, Christian is getting his Master's at Andrews University. He desires to be a vessel to share God's amazing grace and salvation!