Hey! I'm in the middle of something and I need your help. (For those of you that don't comment, this will be a GREAT chance to leave your first comment! Anonymously!)
Here is question for those of you who know Jesus as your Savior...
What is it that keeps you from going to the next level in your walk? OR Do you feel that you are where you need to be in your walk?
Okay, if you have never entered into a personal relationship with Jesus (I am not talking about attending church I'm talking about knowing Jesus!) what is that keeps you from getting to know Him?
Like I said..feel free to comment anonymously. Maybe in the next week or two I'll have a little something to share with you. :)
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
HELP ME!!! Please?
Posted by ocean mommy at 12/09/2008 04:32:00 PM
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14 comments:
Steph,
I feel like I am where I am supposed to be at this point. I mourn the years that I did not do in-depth Bible study and so I do feel like I could be so much deeper in my walk if I had been in Bible study for all those years.
I am constantly doing an indepth study of some sort because I need that accountability. When I look back at where I was 10 years ago in my walk and where I am today, I am dumbfounded, amazed and in awe of the Lord's patience with me.
Daily I ask the Lord to reveal anything that hinders my relationship with Him and boy is He faithful to do that.
I want to have faith that pleases Him so much. I fear sometimes that my faith will falter if some really major disaster comes along or if I ever face persecution. Really, I beg Him to increase my faith and help me to be faithful NO MATTER WHAT HE ALLOWS.
Hmm, was that way more than you wanted to know or what????
Leah
In 1997, I rededicated my life to Christ and grew at a fast and steady rate. Three years ago, I felt called to the ministry and enjoyed the first year. The second year...not so much. My faith took a big hit and I am still trying to reclaim my former walk.
I think for me, I need to go back to the beginning to find out who God says He is and really study what Jesus did. My image of God has returned to the angry, jealous God who is ready to turn us over to our sinful desires. And while there is scriptural references to that aspect of Him, He is also a loving God who searches out his beloved and wants to reclaim her/me.
I need to get rid of the list of rules that Christians "don't do" and focus on what Christ, instead, called us "to do"; love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength and love others.
Thank you for asking this hard question. I look forward to what you will do with it.
I would say that for me I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I was. For me resistance to change, leaving my comfort zones, are one of the things that keeps me from the next level. Although this year he has really pulled me into areas outside of my comfort zones.
Another thing is just simply getting distracted by other things and not spending the time with Him that I should. And giving time to the church and church activities "sometimes being busy" instead of spending time with him.
Overall, for me, it's been fairly steady growth since I became a Christian twelve years ago. But there are stagnant times. Sometimes this happens when everything is going along smoothly or sometimes when I get too busy with my own projects.
Today the kids and I read this from Isaiah 43:22. "Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me O, Israel." Ouch! An appropriate reprimand for a girl who has become weary from holiday preparations but who has not taken enough time this season to prepare her heart.
The times when I experience the most growth are when I step out of my comfort zone in service. And also in those difficult times when I get to test my faith muscles and simply believe that God is who He says He is and can do the things He says He can do. (It goes without saying, one needs to know his Word to lean on it.) While I don't love the difficulties I do value the lessons learned and the closeness of relationship that come during these seasons.
I'm looking forward to reading the responses you get.
Kate
Stephanie, I don't know if I will ever feel like I am where I am supposed to be in my walk. Everyday I pray that I will know Him more, desire His Word more. I don't want to be content where I am now. I want more and more of Him. To know Him completely
It took me many years after I accepted the Lord as my Saviour to really grasp the realization that I can have an intimate relationship with Him. That kind of relationship comes only through prayer and bible study each day. My walk is the closest it has ever been and I pray that each day it will become closer through my obedience and study.
Dying to self is what keeps me from a right relationship with God.
I go through hills and valleys in my relationship with the Lord. There are times when I am so close and can literally feel God talking to me, leading me, loving me and then I get SO busy that I miss my quiet time - I don't talk to Him as much and then BAM! I am in that valley
It really is a matter of distraction and busyness for me - placing other things in the way of my relationship with Him
Also recently I walked through a very painful year to year and a half where the results of what God allowed me to endure made me mad at Him and I purposely distanced myself
What is so awesome is that one day He just arrested me and said "Come Back- you need to be done with your hissy fit b/c I have plans for you" - LOL
God is so good and MUCH better than we deserve!
Love you
Kim
I have been born again since I was around 8. I will be 39 in a couple of weeks. When I was 32 I was having some trying times & I began to really seek the help of God. In that time I was in my car thinking long & hard about my life as a Christian. Church going, good girl, etc. In the car I realized that I could not honestly say that I loved Jesus or God. God was someone I wanted to please. Jesus wasn't anything personal to me. I cried out to God in the car that day & told him that I knew I didn't love him. I didn't know how... I asked him to show me how to know Him more & his son Jesus. I wanted to be able to say that I loved them both with full honesty. God showed up in my van that day in Cumming, GA. I have never heard from the Lord until that day. God prompted me to read His word. So I did, I read the whole Bible front to back. It changed my life. Knowing about God instead of Knowing God kept me from going further in my walk with God. When I stay out of the word, I am pulling away from God & Jesus. Staying in the word, talking to God all day, thanking him throughout the day, praying, all of these things keep me close to my Jesus & my God. I will also say that coming out of my comfort zones & being placed into circumstances that are painful for me have been the times God has drawn me so much more closer to Him & taken me further than if I had never had to suffer & rely solely on Him. It's hard to release yourself to God if you don't know how. I want to go so much further with my walk with God. But if I am honest I would say the amount of time I give God, the effort I actually put into walking in His ways is what keeps me from moving further. Remembering to talk to him not at him. Remembering not to just pray, but to talk to Him. Be honest with him, to Know God as my friend.... I did not know that was possible before that time in my car. I had never heard about it in Church before, that's for sure. Well, hope that helps..
Jenn
I think what keeps me from going to the next level is my unbelief and the busy-ness of life..............when time is spent doing everything else, there is no time to spend growing a relationship with Jesus.....and all relationships require that time be spent together.
Princess, i think that we can become complacent in our walk very easily, and by telling our self that "this is it", but I don't think HE is like that...oh we are always in the place he wants us as HE is in control, but my walk going to a higher level has always started in an unbelief in my heart that I wasn't aware of, and as I step in faith, that HE will catch me, I find more of myself in HIM. No matter what is holding me back at times, the root is always unbelief. Love you soooo much!! Princess to Princess!
Good question! I always feel like I'm striving to get to the next level. But shouldn't I? I mean, to feel like "I'm there" is to be complacent, don't you think? Although I will say this, for a few years I felt bad or guilty for not "being there" and now I am at peace with my walk and not comparing my journey with anyone else. It's just me and God on the ride of my life.
Hey sweet girl! I think some important common factors are fear(what He really requires of me), unbelief(he really is not tangible), insecurity (He may love them that way but not me), distraction (I am too busy), ignorance (There is more?)
Hope that helps and makes some sense. It has been something I have been observing in people and stages in my walk. I think these are common factors.
Love ya!
Ang
I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ when my first child was born and have never stopped growing in Him. I study and spend time with Him daily. It is what makes me happy. I love Him so. Doylene
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