On Hugging

Here's an interesting post from the Christianity.com forum, along with what I believe God was showing me about the situation. May I ask, what are your thoughts?

My reason for writing this is just to remind Christians that not everyone wants to be hugged. Our family belonged to a church for 7 years. This church was very "huggy." A "hello" was always accompanied with a hug at church, and during the "greeting each other" part of the service, loud, upbeat music was played and everyone got out of their seats and went around hugging each other. Everytime we walked into church, everytime we saw a church member at the mall, doctor's office, the theater,etc., we automatically hugged each other. Well, we don't go to that church anymore -- in fact, our exit from that church was very painful. Our family was thrashed and its taken us years to recover. However, now, whenever I see anyone from that church, they automatically come over and hug me. I do not want to hug them. I'd like to reserve my hugs for those whom I feel like hugging! I feel like I need to wear a sign that says "no hugging" or "No Hug Zone" or something. I'm not a cold fish, and its not that I hate these people, but I surely do not feel close to them, but they always move in quickly and assume I want to be hugged. I don't want to be hugged. In fact, I find it offensive. If you are a "hugger," please try to be sensitive to the person you are about to hug.


May I ask you a question? What did the Father tell you to do about this situation when you went to Him about it in your prayer time...Or perhaps the question should be, have you done that yet? After all, if anyone should have a problem with embracing or kissing it would be His Son, Jesus, after His despicable betrayal at the hands of Judas by these acts of affection; yet He went on to die for Judas' sins and the sins of all Mankind on the cross, and through His resurrection made it possible for our spirit to embrace His Spirit in an unbreakable union which will last for all eternity.

Let me ask you another question: Do you think that God would have you be anxious or live in angst as a result of your walk with Him, whether it be wanting to be hugged or not wanting to be hugged? Remember what Paul wrote in his epistle to the Philippians? He said, "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart in Christ Jesus."(Php 4:6-7) Listen, the same Father, Son and Holy Spirit that lives in you and knows your every desire and need, lives in every other born again Believer with whom you associate with (or don't associate with, for that matter), so don't you think He can get across to those other Believers that you don't want to be hugged? As for unbelievers hugging you, doesn't the Bible say "Greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world?"; so can't He help you with that situation, too? On the other hand, if God tells us to hug somebody we don't want to hug, or asks you to allow them to hug you, don't we have to believe that our obedience to His request will in some way further advance His Kingdom, and that He'll compensate for our discomfort?

Please allow me to share a similar situation that the Father helped me with. Before I became born again, I used to "curse like a sailor" (no offense to any sailors out there). After I became a Believer, I asked the Lord to help me clean up my language; in addition, I did not want to have to listen to profanity and dirty jokes, so I asked Him to convict others not to do that in my presence. To this day, I seldom experience someone cursing or telling jokes in my presence, even from those I know to do those things as a regular part of their conversation. The important result of this favor from God is that I don't have to avoid or alienate those who He may need to reach through me with His "Good News."

Just remember, "Cast ALL your anxiety on Him, because He cares for YOU." (1 Pet 5:7)

And, please, if God does tell you to hug someone, or allow them to hug you, are you really going to exclude people who do not have on deodorant, have clean breath or are sick? Seems to me that narrows down the field of people who may need to be touched by God considerably.

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