Where the Rubber Meets the Road: When Passion Meets Resistance

Being on fire for Jesus feels amazing—until it doesn’t.

At first, you feel unstoppable. Your eyes have been opened, your heart is burning, and you want to live out your faith in a real, tangible way. But then, you hit resistance. Not from unbelievers, but from fellow believers.

Why Are People Threatened by Passion?

Many people feel threatened when they see someone on fire for Jesus. Instead of encouraging that fire, they step in to stop it.

Once you recognize the shortcomings in how we “do church,” it’s tempting to immediately start pointing them out to your church family and leadership. I’ve been there. And in my experience, this usually doesn’t end well.

• No one likes to be corrected.

• No one wants to be put in check.

• The typical response is to put YOU in your place instead.

I’ve been labeled many things:

• “She’s causing division.”

• “She thinks she’s so holy.”

• “She has a rebellious spirit and needs to learn to submit.”

And of course, there’s that wonderful phrase: “church hurt.”

All of these are used to dismiss people who truly want to see change. And it’s hurtful. It can lead to bitterness if you let it. I know, because I’ve been there.

Why Does This Happen?

The truth is, people in power want to stay in power—even if it’s just a small portion of it.

Imagine you feel led to make care packages for the homeless. Simple, right? But suddenly, you’re told you need permission. You’re warned that Sister Suzy might get upset because you “went over her head.”

Wait… what?

Why do we need permission to love and serve others? Why are people with a servant’s heart hesitating to give or do, simply because someone at church might get mad?

How did we get here?

It’s Always Been This Way—But It Doesn’t Have to Stay This Way

Churches have struggled with power dynamics and drama for a long time. But that doesn’t mean nothing can change.

I’ve been hurt this way. But I’ve also been part of the problem.

This goes beyond hurt feelings and power struggles—it’s about rethinking how we do ministry.

• My giving to the homeless shouldn’t upset Sister Suzy.

• We’re not in competition.

• We’re all on the same team.

Until our churches start teaching this, we’re going to see the same struggles repeat over and over.

What Now?

So, what do we do? How do we shift the focus back to serving freely and wholeheartedly?

Have you experienced this kind of resistance? How do we encourage a church culture where people feel empowered to serve instead of restricted by unnecessary rules?