Something is missing...

For the past week, I have not stopped thinking to myself something is missing. 

I recently met up with a friend of mine who I consider to be so wise, discerning, and intelligent, especially when it comes to the Word of God. While we were talking, she was telling me about the intimacy she has with God and I could just tell by looking at her, that her soul was on fire for the Lord.

As I watched and listened to her speak, I thought to myself I gotta have that. 

She told me about some things that I have never heard of while growing up in a Baptist church in Southern West Virginia… and these were things that are in the Bible, but we just don’t talk about them. So, as I’m reading about all these things, I’m wondering to myself Why don’t we do all this if it’s in the Bible? And why doesn’t the American church look like this and do these things even though that’s how it is in the Bible?

Something is missing…

In 2 Chronicles 34, we read about Josiah who sought God the minute he heard about Him. But with Josiah, he had never even read the book of the Law when he started seeking God. He just knew it was the right thing to do. But when he did hear the book of the Law when he was 18 years old, Josiah’s heart was completely changed and he started seeking God for himself. God gave him this intense revelation and Josiah felt responsible to carry it out.

Josiah was ashamed that they hadn’t been keeping the word of God and changed that situation right then and there (2 Chronicles 34:21).

Like Josiah and his people before they heard the Word, the church, today, is feeling content with the information that we currently have about God. There is SO MUCH to unpack in the Bible, and there are so many things that we don’t even know about just because we lack the desire to dig deeper into what the Bible says about these things.

But if we dig deeper into the Bible and try to get to know God in a more intimate and personal way, maybe we can figure out what is missing for some of us…

You need to ask yourself, “Am I doing what the Bible says or am I just doing what I’ve always done while following traditions?”

You can’t thrive off yesterday’s word. You need to seek something new in the Bible and God every day.

In our society, the Western world, we have academic mindsets, meaning we approach a lot of things like we are trying to learn about something so that we can achieve something. And we do this A LOT with God. We approach getting closer to God like it’s an academic process. This is so wrong – you should get to know God purely because you want to know Him on an extremely personal level.

I am so guilty of this. I started the Bible recap plan at the beginning of this year, and my goal from the very beginning was to read the entire Bible just so that I can say that I read all the accounts in the Bible. My goal was not to develop this intimate and personal relationship with God, which is what it should have been from the beginning. I approached God like the process of getting to know Him was an academic process and achievement.

Getting to know God should be a journey of discovery. Every day, ask God to reveal Himself to you so that you can truly get to know Him.

As children of God, if you are saved, you have this supernatural power dwelling inside of you. This is the same power that raised a man from the dead – that is VERY, VERY strong power, and it is residing in you! But be honest with yourself – and I asked myself this very question the other day and was honest with myself – does it really feel like something supernatural is in you? I know we know that it is in us because we’ve been told that our entire lives as born-again Christians, but do you really mean it when you say that a supernatural power is residing in you?

When I asked myself this, I said, “Honestly, no. Something is missing.”

You know what would allow you to understand how much power there is inside of you? – A close intimacy with God. Close intimacy with God allows a divine relationship and communication with our Creator. There are no words to describe it. It can only be felt with the heart. Ask my friend who has this intimacy – she could barely describe it.

I encourage you to read Acts 2. This is how the church should be. Read Acts 2 and ask yourself, “Is this what I am doing or am I ignoring this part of the Bible?” Like I said, I am guilty of ignoring parts of the Bible, unfortunately. But the hard truth is: can we really call ourselves followers of Christ if we don’t follow His commandments and ways?

I'm tired of being content with where I'm at with my relationship with God. I want to know Him more and I crave that intimacy. Who's with me?!

Look at your life and seek out God in a more personal way so that YOU can have that intimacy we were created to have, especially if you feel like something might be missing in your life right now.