John 6:47-51
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.
As we make our journey to Easter by counting the days of Lent, it is important to take time to reflect upon our personal relationship with God. The Lenten season is designed for Christians to repent and reflect upon their relationship with God. This is not something which can be quickly evaluated or scored based upon a series of questions. This relationship is much more personal, and the time it takes to reflect is different for each individual.
My relationship with God grows more and more each day, but it does not grow based upon chance alone. My personal relationship has taken quite a bit of time to evaluate. Even though I have always been a Christian and attended church regularly as a child, I found myself reevaluating my relationship as an adult. During this time, I often wondered if I had strayed too far away or neglected my responsibilities as a Christian.
When developing a deeper understanding and maturing your relationship with God, it is also helpful to have a supportive ear - someone you can discuss your faith with and who supports you as you commit to this journey. Just as God and Jesus nourish us, we must also seek out additional ways to nourish our faith each day. I receive spiritual nourishment from my husband, my Sunday school class, Sunday worship services, and our entire church family at KUMC.
I realized that in order to grow and nourish my relationship, I had to make a commitment to doing more than praying alone and accepting Jesus as my Savior. I needed to be surrounded by Christians, devote time to learning more about my religion, and relinquish the idea that I should keep my beliefs private rather than sharing them with friends and family.
Of the three points I identified to be the most important for me to nurture my faith, sharing my faith with others has been the most difficult. I think this is difficult for a lot of Christians as we are typically reserved in order to avoid offending others or encroaching on their beliefs. Throughout my nourishment journey, I have come to realize that I need to spread God's word in order to enhance my understanding and grow my faith. Rather than being timid, I now openly reference my beliefs and often encourage others to experience God's love.
The season of Lent affords us numerous opportunities to nourish our spiritual growth. It is up to us to place God first, commit ourselves to strengthening our beliefs, and receive everlasting life.
What are you doing to nourish your spiritual growth? How can you help others experience the same fulfillment and everlasting life?
~Amy Krengel
Readings
Jeremiah 22:13-23
Psalms 69 or 73
Romans 8:12-27
John 6:41-51
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