Coming Back | Part 2
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| Photo by Thanti Nguyen on Unsplash |
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Maybe you can relate.
Life gets busy and you become convinced that you don't have time for God. You'll read your Bible tomorrow. Nope, no time for prayer this morning. Whoops, fell asleep and forgot to even acknowledge God today.
That was me all summer this past year.
Connecting with God felt like an obligation. Something to check off the to-do list. My head knew that it was important... but my heart just wasn't in it.
So the summer went. But, in mid-August, I had the chance to volunteer for a week at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. It would take a whole other post to describe that trip, so what I'll say is that I went to Kentucky expecting to be the one doing the serving. In reality, I was served by that opportunity a whole lot more than I was able to serve anyone else! In one short week, I was wholly submerged in a tidal wave of proof supporting God's creation, plan, and love for us. I came out with a completely renewed perspective on God and faith.
Surprisingly though, the real turning point came two weeks later when I started college. Which probably sounds like an oxymoron.
College = Faith Builder? ...say whaat? Well, in my case, say yeah.
College = Faith Builder? ...say whaat? Well, in my case, say yeah.
Coming out of the Creation Museum trip, I knew that if I wanted to keep and grow my faith, I needed to start making God a priority.
So, when I arrived at college two weeks later, I started setting time aside every morning just to read God's Word and pray. It was tedious at first. Getting through a chapter felt like a chore. But I kept at it. Most importantly, I asked God to guide my time with Him every morning. Instead of reading just to get through the chapter, I really read. I analyzed and questioned, looking for how God wanted to speak to me that day. Sometimes I'd simply sit and pray or listen to worship music.
Gradually, I noticed a change. What felt like a chore at first became an encouragement and integral part of my day. For the first time in a long, long time, I could feel God's presence with me. It was amazing.
This part of my morning routine is only part of the story though. The second thing I did coming into college was to seek out a Christian group on campus. To my surprise, my campus actually has several. But one stood out. From the moment I walked into His House's first meeting, I was overwhelmed by a sense of Christ's love and community. The support, wisdom, and fellowship I've been blessed with through this group have helped strengthen my faith in God to a degree that I've never experienced before. The faith I see in those around me is a daily inspiration that drives me to strengthen my own relationship with Christ.
So, when I arrived at college two weeks later, I started setting time aside every morning just to read God's Word and pray. It was tedious at first. Getting through a chapter felt like a chore. But I kept at it. Most importantly, I asked God to guide my time with Him every morning. Instead of reading just to get through the chapter, I really read. I analyzed and questioned, looking for how God wanted to speak to me that day. Sometimes I'd simply sit and pray or listen to worship music.
Gradually, I noticed a change. What felt like a chore at first became an encouragement and integral part of my day. For the first time in a long, long time, I could feel God's presence with me. It was amazing.
This part of my morning routine is only part of the story though. The second thing I did coming into college was to seek out a Christian group on campus. To my surprise, my campus actually has several. But one stood out. From the moment I walked into His House's first meeting, I was overwhelmed by a sense of Christ's love and community. The support, wisdom, and fellowship I've been blessed with through this group have helped strengthen my faith in God to a degree that I've never experienced before. The faith I see in those around me is a daily inspiration that drives me to strengthen my own relationship with Christ.
Now, I want to be clear here. Is my faith a lot stronger than before? Yes.
Do I have a perfect relationship with God now? Definitely not.
I'm human. I still have a lot of things I struggle with and need to work on. God still has to remind me to relinquish control and let Him guide me. There are still so many ways I fail to live up to Christ's example even though I'm striving not to fail.
That certainly doesn't mean I'm going to give up though. Bit by bit, day by day, I'm learning to cast my cares on Him, rely on his wisdom and guidance, and live out my faith instead of hiding it.
To wrap up, what I've shared here isn't and shouldn't be a road map. Everyone has to form their own relationship with God in their own way, following his guidance. What I can tell you though, is that you're never going to find that guidance if you don't start looking for it. My prayer is that this post inspires you. Take a few minutes to acknowledge God today. Open your Bible. Give Him your attention.
I know He was waiting for me. He's waiting for you too.
Do I have a perfect relationship with God now? Definitely not.
I'm human. I still have a lot of things I struggle with and need to work on. God still has to remind me to relinquish control and let Him guide me. There are still so many ways I fail to live up to Christ's example even though I'm striving not to fail.
That certainly doesn't mean I'm going to give up though. Bit by bit, day by day, I'm learning to cast my cares on Him, rely on his wisdom and guidance, and live out my faith instead of hiding it.
To wrap up, what I've shared here isn't and shouldn't be a road map. Everyone has to form their own relationship with God in their own way, following his guidance. What I can tell you though, is that you're never going to find that guidance if you don't start looking for it. My prayer is that this post inspires you. Take a few minutes to acknowledge God today. Open your Bible. Give Him your attention.
I know He was waiting for me. He's waiting for you too.
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