Since breaking my leg in a soccer game three weeks ago, followed by surgery a week later, I’ve had plenty of time to consider what faith looks like in a season of trial. We’re right in the middle of one.
So many of us know what God has said about Himself, but we don’t believe it. We don’t believe Him. We wait to feel like God is enough before believing He actually is, and when the feelings don’t come, we assume God hasn’t either.
We live in the age of vague Christianity, a Christianity simultaneously enamored with ANY and ALL mention of God in the media, and put off by material that’s just too… biblical.
You’ve been told you’re too much: Too much education, too much thought, too much boldness, too much confidence, too “together”.
If you’re a woman who loves the Lord, loves His Word, and has a strong, bold, extroverted personality, there is no place for you. There is very little in-between.
We are in that awkward stage of marriage where the holidays are no longer the “free and easy” of our dating days, when events could be attended without coordinating a babysitter. But we’re not quite to the stage of parenting where our girls can really engage with the holiday, either. But I don’t want to wait until our girls are older to start making family traditions and enjoying the Christmas season.
If you didn’t grow up in the church, adjusting to Christian culture can be a bit of a shock. Why are people throwing around terms like “washed in the blood” or being “born again”? While you can adapt quickly, as you grow in faith more terms will become part of the conversation. Even I – a seasoned believer with a religion degree! – encounter words and phrases I’ve never heard before.
Let me preface this post by saying: This is not a devotional-bashing article. I personally use and love certain Christian devotional books, and regularly read books on theology and Christian life. These books fill a very important void in the world of books, BUT: they should not act as a replacement for the Bible itself. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what they do.
How do you know when God is telling you to do something? What does the Spirit’s voice sound like? We aren’t Samuel and aren’t hearing an audible voice from heaven (and honestly? Not many people in the Bible even got to experience this!). The Lord still speaks to us through His Spirit – Jesus says this three times in John 16:13:
The church hurts people because it’s made up of hurting people. It’s made up of flawed, sinful, humans just like you! If you’ve ever in your life hurt someone, why are you surprised that someone in the church could also cause pain?