On
occasion, I will hear people say they are either not currently, or
cannot become a "real" Christian because they do not have
some deep mysterious relationship with God. They say that they have
never had an amazing spiritual experience or a connection. They feel
like they have no hope of measuring up to the "real"
Christian who professes to hear God's voice, or speaks of some
significant experience of salvation.
But
this is not what Christianity is. It is not about having deep
spiritual experiences that you can share with other people. It is
about faith and commitment to God. Many Christians, such as myself,
do not have a profound moment of conversion we can share. Not all of
us suddenly had a moment where we just fell on our knees with the
most amazing feeling ever. You do not have to be the woman in church
who says she feels God with her everyday. Everyone has their own way
of worshiping and connecting with God. Some people do feel like they
have had an enlightening experience, and they want to share it. And
that's ok. Some people simply believe because that is how they were
taught. And that's ok. Others simply have come to believe on their
own through Christ. And that's ok. It is ok that not everyone has an
amazing faith statement. It is ok that you simply believe for your
own reasons. You do not have to feel an amazing connection to be
connected with God. God works in different ways for different people.
Just because you do not see him with you does not mean he is not
there. You are not a bad Christian just because you do not feel the
need to drop to your knees every five seconds. In fact, doing so for
the wrong reasons can actually be a bad thing, but that is another
story.
You
are a real Christian if you believe in the trinity and the
resurrection. You are a real Christian if you believe in the Bible
and what it teaches. You are a real Christian even if you do not have
an amazing story for your moment of faith. That is not what matters.
What matters is that you have faith in God. What matters is that you
have commitment to the Word and the Church. That is what concerns
God. He will not reject you because you do not feel some mysterious
connection. He will not consider you a bad Christian because you fail
to have an overwhelming sense of connection. What God wants is for
you to have faith and to glorify him, and there are certainly many
ways to accomplish this. Raising your children in faith is glorifying
him. Following the commandments is glorifying him. Professing your
faith is glorifying him. And I do not mean shouting it out loud in
overwhelming emotion. (Though if that works for you then go for it!)
It is good if you can scream it out to the masses, but simply sharing
it with a co-worker or a friend would be just as well and certainly
just as important. So relax, breathe, and know that God is always
with you even if you do not feel him.
-BlackFox
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