Think of a time in which you cried out to God, pleading for an answer or for Him to intervene in a major way, yet felt there was no response.
I have been in this predicament more than I’d like to admit, and as it continued to happen; I found myself growing angry and resentful towards God. Somehow, I was convinced that I was being ignored, and like a child throwing a temper tantrum, I wanted to rebel. In a time in which I should have humbled myself before God, I instead went looking for trouble and participated in reckless activities. I now look back and find my thought process comical, and my frustrations clearly misdirected. At the time, I was very immature in my spiritual walk and I decided to do the worst thing possible, which is to turn away from God.
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)
God desires to be in each of our lives, but how much time do we give Him to do so? When I believed God was ignoring me, I decided to rebel, but in truth I hardly knew Him enough to understand His ways. Many of us can relate to having that one friend who only calls to talk about themselves and bombard us with their personal life without even asking about yours or what’s sitting on your heart. Such relationships are toxic and one-sided, and that’s how I was treating my relationship with God. I would only fall to my knees in prayer when going through a tough patch, but outside of that, I hardly prayed or dedicated time to reading the Word. It is easy to seek God only when experiencing a crisis, but God is not a genie in a bottle. He desires a real relationship with us, one that is personal, intimate, and built overtime.
“The Lord is good to those who hope in him, to the person who seeks him. It’s good to wait in silence for the Lord’s deliverance. It’s good for a man to carry a yoke in his youth.” Lamentations 3:25-27
When I started reading the Bible, I found so many answers to my questions. The more I read, the more God revealed Himself to me, and gradually His voice became much clearer. If you are someone who is newly embarking on their spiritual walk or wanting to get back on track, start by reading the Word. The Bible is one of the primary ways in which God speaks to us and also equips us with everything we need to know about Christian life and God Himself. The thought of reading the Bible may sound overwhelming, but trust me when I say that you are not alone. We all have to start somewhere, so just start small. I started by just reading a few verses a day or a chapter, and that was enough for the Holy Spirit to begin working in me. Overtime, I was convicted and fortified to extend my time with God, and though there were moments where I fell off or did not feel called to read, my relationship with God still grew because I was seeking Him more consistently. God promises that when we draw near to Him, that He will draw near to us. So, please do not lose faith or feel intimidated by reading the Bible. The best is yet to come in your relationship with God. Set your pace, and take it day by day!
Recommendations:
“The Bible Project” Podcast : A conversational podcast that dives into the key themes, characters, and stories of the Bible.
https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/the-bible-project-podcast/
“YouVersion” Bible App: YouVersion Bible App provides the Bible at your fingertips and offers individualized plans, a great way to make the Bible a natural part of your everyday life.
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans
