Just Thinking

I was realing in thought a while ago, and I began to understand a lot of people who claim to be Christians. There are a lot of people out there that are loving, hard workers who do their best to spread the cause of Christianity throughout the world. They hit outreach after outreach wanting everyone to put their faith in Jesus. They show forth that burning passion that many Christian people desire. People see them as super saints sometimes. The problem isn't what they are doing for the cause, it's what they aren't doing for their relationship with Christ. They find their own prayer time dwindling. The Bible becomes less and less of a guide book for their lives. They find themselves drifting away from God as they are trying to pull people to him. Mark Hall from Casting Crowns describes it as a slow fade. Little choices, little things you've seen, little things you've heard create a slow descension from the place they once were. I know his song doesn't exactly talk about this very topic. He is more talking about backsliding is a slow process and not a sudden fall. But it's the closest example I could get.

I've found myself in this vortex recently. I am so passionate about wanting to get the gospel to the world, that I forget to bring it to myself daily also. I'm so eager to tell others about the cross, that I forget to take up mine daily. I've noticed repercussions as a result of this slow fade. I'm finding my temper fuse to be shorter. I become easily irritated. I'm fatigued. My usually excitable self is now more ready to lay around all day wanting left alone. I've become standoffish. The only thing that can raise my spirit is listening to Christian music (I've always had a heart for music... that's why my greatest desire other than becoming a minister is to serve God on a good worship team that sings songs that relate to the world today).

In a life of outreach and ministry, a balance needs to be found: Prayer and preaching, giving and receiving, feeding others the word and yourself. I just need to learn how to utilize my time more efficiently.

The slow fade phenominon will always occur in everyone's lives until we reach Eternity. Everyone has downtime because of discouragements and bad decisions; however, we need to continue to encourage each other to be encouraged by what God has to say.

Find ways to keep God in your lives. If you are working by yourself, pray at the same time. Multitasking comes in handy. If you are lacking in your time studying the Bible because you are trying to fit in family and friend time, start a Bible study with them. If you can't make it to church, bring church to you.