Don’t do it! Don’t say the “S” word. I’m hearing the “S” word more and more lately! It’s all over the television and radio! I can’t escape it!
SCHOOL. Ugh there it is! The dreaded “S” word, and it’s right around the corner. This summer girl is not a fan of this time of year. I enjoy the laid back, no-keeping-on-top-of-your-kid’s-homework-and-grades, no college students asking for more money, sleeping in just a little bit longer, days of summer! But alas, these days must come to an end. It’s a season, and seasons change. Have you ever noticed that your faith goes through seasons as well?
As Christians our faith ebbs and flows. There are seasons where we are praising God and feel his amazing grace and goodness. We can also find ourselves in deep, hard seasons of wrestling with God. And, then, there are those seasons that feel dry and maybe even stale. Full transparency: this is where I currently find myself. It’s not that my faith has weakened. It’s not that I don’t know God is there. It’s that I feel like I’m disconnected from God. I don’t love him any less, but I need to reignite my flame.
If you’re like me and you’ve been in this type of season, or feel like you’re there now, please know that you’re not alone, and that it’s something all Christians deal with at some point in their lives.
I want to share with you what I’m doing to get myself back on track.
I’m focusing on three things during my current season to help rekindle my connection with God. The first is worship! I am a huge fan of worship music and find that listening to it is the easiest way for me to clear my mind and reset my heart. I often do this in the car by myself with the radio turned waaaay up! Don’t mind me if you see me driving down the road with tears streaming down my face or singing at the top of my lungs! Additionally, you can worship by reading scripture, out loud if possible! I love the Psalms for this!
Psalm 100:1-5 says, “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
The second thing I’m doing to realign my faith is to remember my worth. For me, as a woman, I sometimes struggle with what others think of me, how I look physically or falling into the evil pit of comparison. These are dangerous pitfalls that definitely separate me from God. Yet, remembering how GOD sees me, overwhelms my heart and draws me closer to him. There are many verses that speak to this, but take a minute to slowly read one of my favorite passages in Psalm 139:
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (v13-16)
Lastly, when my faith feels stale, it often means I need to get plugged in. Sometimes life gets busy, things happen or summer vacation takes over and I find myself lacking accountability. Fortunately, this time of year also brings opportunity to join different groups, Bible studies, or discipleship teams. This not only keeps me connected to God through his people, but it keeps me disciplined in a positive way! It allows me to take the focus off of myself and place my focus back on God and how he wants me to use my gifts and talents.
So while I may be a summer girl at heart, I know that God has created beauty in each season. Even though I physically hate the winter, I can see the beauty of a snow covered hill. Our faith is the same. Even if we experience a challenging or dry season, rest assured our faith is changing…growing. We must recognize this and persevere through those times.
I leave you with my current prayer and hope you find time to pray this for yourself if and when you find yourself in a challenging season. “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10-12
Get to know the blogger…
Where were you born and raised?
I was born and raised in Kennett Square! I feel like that’s a rare thing to say when you’re almost 42! Most of my friends are transplants to the area and are shocked when I say I graduated from Kennett High School.
Do you love animals, if yes, which do you love the most?
I’m definitely an animal lover! My favorite kind? Dogs! We’re a foster family for a local dog rescue. We’re currently taking a break from fostering, though, because we have three dogs. Two of them are “foster fails,” meaning we were fostering them and we ended up adopting them. One is still in the puppy stage; her name is Molly and she’s hilarious! She even has her own Instagram page.
What is one food you used to hate but now love?
Peppers! I hated them growing up, but now I can’t get enough of them, especially hot peppers. I love them every which way they can be prepared!
CONNECT THIS FALL
Small groups are the backbone of our women’s ministry. They’re great places to ask questions, grow in your faith and build connections with other women no matter your age or stage of life. Our desire is to see every woman connected to God and to each other. We believe that the best spiritual growth occurs for women when they’re connected in authentic relationships. So, come as you are, find a group, and get involved! Groups meet most days of the week during the school year and are available both on campus and off.