You my brother are a breath of fresh air.
I was over a decade. I even had a ministry in church. But I was a very bruised reed. From my childhood but also from the leaders of the church. I asked to step down from the ministry and asked for help because I was really struggling with issues from my past and burnout.
They refused as I no longer wanted to carry on in my ministry.
That caused me to stop going to church. But there wasn't one day when I didn't call out to God. I got to the stage of asking God to kill me so I would know where I was going. I was living hell on earth. I even had a wife and 4 kids. Tried to roll my car a couple of times but when I did it did not roll.
I remember that during this period my wife was going to our community group. They prayed for me and one man to my wife "I have had a picture, "There is a lot of wood built up like a bonfire but I see a little flame underneath. When the time is right God will ignite this flame and the wood will start to burn away.
What I did not know was that many many people behind the scenes were praying for me and those prayers were answered.
He eventually ignited the flame and the wood started to burn away, still some embers and God is now walking me through this.
In the meantime he is using me with a new ministry with people who have suffered what I have and I am convinced he will work deeper in me to help me help others more.
I am totally convinced that God works good in all things to conform us to the image of Jesus to do the works prepared for us from the beginning of time.
As for me I will never write anyone off. If they do want to talk then I pray. I was one who did not want to talk. Very ashamed as to where I was at, my addictions as a result of my past which I would not have wished on my worst enemy (Jesus said love your enemies and do good to those who hate you).
The church needs be the church God has called to be. Jesus never rejected anyone who came to him for help.
The only downside for my wife was that for all those years I did not go to church on the Sunday I would do the ironing for the next week. Which was lot. My work clothes, and our 4 kids uniform
Isaiah 42:3
3 A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench;
He will bring forth justice for truth.