Slavic Christian struggles

Dear Slavic Christian community, 

Everyone is going through something, “even if it looks like they have it all together.” You are not alone in your battles. 

My Slavic community is aware of pastors who have been closeted pedophiles, witness adult children who never learned how to self-regulate and throw tantrums when they don’t get their way, and see sin get swept under the rug for people who have deep pockets and loud voices.

We learn from their example that you can hurt other people and not have consequences.

Sin doesn’t get reported to authorities, so it continues.

Both men and women in my community comfort themselves with drugs, sex, and alcohol while performing on stage at their churches.

Some Slavic millionaires and truck drivers have wandering eyes and cheat on their wives with teenagers on their phones, in erotic massage parlors, or with “lot lizards.”

These men didn’t receive love and acceptance from their parents. When their wives “don’t give them what they want,” they take care of their “needs” elsewhere…or at least this is the excuse they make for their behavior instead of taking their sexual thoughts captive and working through their insecurities.

Wounded souls are all around us but are silent for fear of being found out and losing their “perfect” image.

The ones that struggle the most are legalistic.

They called themselves “conservative,” but the truth is, their values are not biblically rooted but passed on from socialist and communist USSR principles of their parents.

These individuals think that by not expressing themselves emotionally (in healthy ways), or talking about their problems, they’ll look holy or strong.

On the contrary, by repressing their emotions, they develop chronic illnesses, cancer, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, bitterness, suicidal ideation, etc.

They attempt to numb their pain with symptom-relieving medication, workaholism, bingeing, and performance to get accepted and say they’re “a devoted Christian.”

This looks like the Pharisees in Scripture.

They always tried to obey the rules that they created to achieve their salvation. They put people down, failing to recognize their own sins, and couldn’t see their need for a Savior. Christ called them “whitewashed caskets and children of Satan” while they claimed to tithe and fast.

Whether you’re struggling with infertility or grieving the abandonment of your spouse, always looking on the “bright side” for fear of facing your demons or rejecting love because you’re afraid of commitment, turning to homosexuality because you’ve been hurt by the opposite gender or neglecting your family because that’s what your dad did, staying silent about your problems because your mom modeled it or cowering around your parents because you’re afraid of speaking up, finding out your loved one passed away or are struggling with finding the right partner….

Whether your baby is sick and you’re wondering why or you’re trying to make ends meet and have no job…

Whether you’ve been physically abused by your loved one, cheated on by your spouse, raped by your boyfriend, rejected by your parents, misunderstood by your friends, molested by a pastor, you’re having sex with strangers to feel your daddy’s love, working overtime not to go home, got kicked out of your church, cutting your body to feel less numb, popping pills to sleep, drinking alcohol to silence your mind, starving yourself because you get made fun of, or you’re hiding your pain to uphold your reputation...

I see you.

I hear you.

I believe you.

No matter who you are or what you’ve been through or are still going through, there is hope for you, and it’s found at the Throne of Our King.

No one in this life can help you like Jesus can. Not your parents, not your spouse, not your friends, not even a therapist.

Only the blood of our Savior can heal every hurt you’re carrying.

Please call on Him for salvation, deliverance, and restoration.

He has peace, hope, love, joy, forgiveness, healing, acceptance, and a new future for you.

Without Jesus, my people are on a fast track to hell.

I’ve worked with too many Slavic individuals from “Christian” families who don’t know the love of Jesus-let alone are thriving in their identity, purpose, and spiritual authority in Him.

My people are so used to performing and think that their works save them that they’ve never encountered Jesus at the Cross.

Many have not made Him their Master and continue to suffer. For how long?