Stunted Growth

Have you ever had moments where you felt your growth as a follower of Jesus had been stunted? Can you recall times where you felt like God was far away and you were trying to regain the status you had before? I think we've all had those times. Some may be experiencing that right now. The one thing I've learned over time is that those times are normal. Look at the Scriptures, the book of Psalm is full examples of David feeling abandoned by God. God does not abandon us. In fact, we are the ones responsible for the "feeling" of abandonment. We have either fell into sin and are not where we were. Sometimes we get into habitual ruts and just go through the motions. Going through the motions will actually move you backwards in your walk with God. Some of you have actually let the "busyness" of your lives to crowd your life so much that you push God out of it. We also have moments of stunted growth when we go through trying circumstances and we don't invite God into our hurts, pains, and difficulties.

If you have experienced this feeling of being "stuck" in the same place in your relationship, try some of these things:

1. Tell God you are tired of being where you are and desire to draw closer. God knows the situation, but it is good to share your thoughts and the way you feel. It is often the catalysts for getting back where you want to be.

2. Tell someone else that you are tired of being where you are and ask them to journey with you to help you get where you want to be. Christianity has never been a solo journey. We are meant to live in community and grow in community.

3. Begin to journal or reading some passages of Scripture they may connect your story to someone else who has been in your position. Go read the book of Psalm.

4. Evaluate how you believe you got off the track you were on. Was is it an event? A hurt relationship? Laziness? Busyness? Find out, that will help you avoid it next time.

5. Repeat Step 1. I cannot express the importance of drawing near to God through simply crying out that you don't want complacency any longer. Tell God you want to be on fire for Him. Ask Him to light the fire in you.

The world can not afford to have a bunch of stunted Christians running around them. The world needs Christians who are burning white-hot for the love of Jesus and are experiencing that love daily in their relationship with Him. The world needs Christians that are growing in their knowledge of God and His love for the world around them. Believe it or not, what the world needs is not the next great President of the United States, it needs you and I to become everything God created us to be.