Beyond Church Hurt, Why I Still Trust Jesus

There are many reasons people walk away from faith today. Some are tired of politics dressed up as spirituality. Some are wounded by churches that promised love but delivered judgment. Some are exhausted by religious noise that feels more like theater than truth. I understand all of that. I see it too. And yet, in the middle of all of it, people often ask me a quieter, more personal question. Why do you still follow Jesus.

For me, the answer does not begin with a church. It does not begin with rules, traditions, or religious language. It begins with a moment that became my first step👣, long before I understood theology, church culture, or what people would later do in His name.

I was in second grade when I first heard about Jesus in a way that felt real to me. I was growing up without a father. One day, a Bible teacher spoke about God not just as a distant figure, but as a Father. A Father who sees you, knows you, and stays with you. Something in me connected to that. That was my first step. Not into religion, but into relationship. Not into rules, but into belonging. For the first time, I felt like I had a Father figure who was present, personal, and for me. That connection formed outside of church structures, and it has followed me my entire life.

As I grew older, I began to notice something that became a pebble in my path🚶🏽‍➡️. I saw churches at their best, loving, serving, and reflecting the heart of Jesus. But I also saw churches at their worst, controlling, judging, and using His name in ways that did not resemble Him at all. That tension never left me. I could feel it in my spirit. How could the same name be used for compassion in one place and for harm in another. That pebble forced me to pay attention. It pushed me to separate who Jesus is from what others sometimes make Him into.

Because my relationship with Jesus came before my deep involvement in church culture, I learned to recognize the difference. I learned to trust His character more than people’s interpretations of Him. There were seasons when I misunderstood His teachings. Times when I applied things the wrong way. Moments when I carried beliefs shaped more by fear than by love. But again and again, Jesus was kind enough to correct me. Not with shame. Not with condemnation. But with clarity. With patience. With a steady pull back to what is real and what is true.

That steady return to His heart became my compass🧭.

I have walked through some very low places in my life. Seasons where the ground felt unstable. Moments when I did not know how I was going to get through. And yet, even in those lowest lows, there was something I still cannot fully explain. A peace that did not match the circumstances. A quiet certainty in my mind and my heart that I was going to make it through. That things would not always feel this heavy. That I was not alone in the dark.

That peace did not come from religion, It came from relationship.

Following Jesus has never meant a life without pain. It has meant a life with direction. With an anchor. With a presence that does not disappear when things fall apart. A voice that does not get louder in judgment, but closer in compassion. A steady reminder that even when I do not understand what is happening around me, I am still held. That is the compass I have learned to trust. Not because life is easy, but because His presence is steady.

That is also why it hurts to see His name misused. It hurts to see people weaponize His words. It hurts to see others treated harshly and told it is in the name of God. Because when you truly begin to know who Jesus is, you realize how far that is from His heart. And I do not want anyone to lose Him because of them.

If you have been hurt by church.If you have been confused by religion.If you have been pushed away by people who claimed to represent Jesus but did not resemble Him.

Please hear this. Do not let them take away one of the most life giving relationships you could ever experience.

This is the open trail🛣️ I continue to walk. Not a perfect path. Not a painless one. But an honest one. Knowing Jesus is not about getting everything right. It is about being known. It is about being loved in your questions, in your doubts, in your growth, and in your mistakes. It is about walking with Someone who is more committed to your healing than to your perfection.

My invitation is simple. Give Him an honest try. Not a religious try. Not a performance. Not a version shaped by what you have seen others do. An honest try. Talk to Him. Read His words for yourself. Watch how He treats people in the Gospels. Let Him show you who He is, instead of letting others define Him for you.

For me, it has been the most rewarding decision of my life. I would not trade it for anything. Even with all the noise. Even with all the distortion. Even with all the disappointment I have seen in institutions. The Jesus I met as a child. The Father I connected with in that classroom. The presence that carried me through my darkest seasons. He is still the same.

That is why I still follow Him.Not because of what others have done in His name.But because of what He has done in my life.

Stay barefoot. Stay honest. Stay close to the ground.

– Barefoot Gospel👣