When the Church Feels Unsafe

Healing shouldn’t stop at the church doors.

Recovery is one of the most courageous journeys a person can take—but what happens when the very place that’s supposed to support your healing becomes a source of pain? If you’ve ever walked into church and felt more judged than welcomed, more shamed than seen, you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll talk honestly about when the Church feels unsafe and how to hold on to Jesus—even when His people fall short.

For someone in addiction recovery, the idea of stepping into a church should be a moment of refuge, healing, and hope. But for many, it becomes something else entirely. Instead of a sanctuary, the church can sometimes feel like a courtroom—where eyes linger too long, whispers are too loud, and grace seems reserved for those who look “clean.” For those fighting daily battles just to stay sober, this kind of judgment cuts deep. It can leave you wondering: If I’m not safe in God’s house, where am I safe at all?

This heartbreaking reality must be addressed. The Church—Christ’s Body—is meant to reflect His heart. And His heart is tender toward the wounded. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus doesn’t merely understand our struggles—He experienced the weight of them. He knows what it is to be misunderstood, rejected, and mistreated. That includes being mistreated by the very people who claim to represent God.

If you’ve been judged by a church instead of embraced, don’t confuse human failure with God’s character. People, even Christians, are capable of wounding others out of ignorance, pride, or fear. Jesus didn’t reject the broken—He healed them. He touched lepers, dined with sinners, and stood between a woman and the mob ready to stone her. He didn’t just preach grace; He lived it. The way some churches behave today often says more about their spiritual immaturity than it does about your recovery journey.

It’s important to remember: Jesus didn’t hurt you… mislead people did. And not every church is the same. While some are steeped in legalism or fear of the unfamiliar, others are truly led by the Spirit, full of love, humility, and understanding. It may take time, but there are communities that will welcome you, not in spite of your past, but because they believe in your future in Christ. They see the beauty of your testimony and the power of your deliverance.

You also need to know that you still belong in the Body of Christ. Your struggles do not make you a second-class believer. Quite the opposite: they equip you to minister in ways others cannot. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” None of us come to Jesus clean. We come to Him desperate, and He makes us new.

Still, it’s also true that even those who judge us are often broken in their own ways. Sometimes their judgment is a mask for pain they haven’t dealt with. This doesn’t excuse harmful behavior, but it does remind us of the power of forgiveness—not to free them from accountability, but to free us from bitterness. Forgiveness is not the same as trust or reconciliation, but it is a part of healing.

If you’ve been wounded by a church community, ask God to begin healing those wounds. Separate what people said about you from what God says about you. Revisit His Word, not just through the lens of doctrine, but through the lens of His love. Scriptures like Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” and John 8:7, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first,” tell you the truth the Church sometimes forgets: you are not condemned.

Recovery is already your current challenge. Faith should never make it harder. But don’t give up. Don’t let the failure of people rob you of the grace of Jesus. He is still your safe place. He is still your Healer. And He’s not finished writing your story.