"Real" Christians

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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