I always give things up even though I am not Catholic. My mom is Catholic though. And even though she doesn't give anything up, the ideals of Catholicism have been engrained in me since a very young age. I know how to kneel and stand, I know the Hail Mary prayer, and I know all about holy water, altar boys, and communion. So I tend to give things up for Lent just as any other Catholic would. I suppose it isn't necessarily a prerequisite to be Catholic in order to participate but the two seem to be paired together quite nicely in society.
This year I started thinking about what I was going to sacrifice and the list was few and far between. I have done all of the common stuff - sweets, soda, Facebook even. I thought about what I could rid myself of that would actually be a difficult sacrifice and nothing really seemed to pop into my head. So instead of removing something from my life I have chosen to add something to my life. I want to read my Bible more and start going back to church.
My relationship with the Lord has never been as strong as I would have liked it; I think a lot of Christians feel that way. There is always a time in the back of your head when you wonder how you could be doing things better or when you are envious of the people you see at church. Although I have pursued Christ I haven't done so to a degree that I really am happy with. I do want to make Him a center piece in my life, in my relationships and I want the true, genuine desire to make Him known to everyone.
That being said I am going to read my Bible more. Listen to Breakaway podcasts. [Side note: if you are reading my blog perchance and don't know what Breakaway is - try it out. Ben Stuart is an incredible man of the Lord and speaks pure truth. It is what I miss most about College Station in complete honesty.] Attend church on Sunday and really strive to form a more personal relationship with God.
With all that being said I think I am going to start writing more on here about what the Lord is teaching me through what I am reading in the Word, etc. as well as continue to write about my day to day life.
So here goes nothing ...
This is what I took away from the Breakaway Podcast from 08/29/2011
We have to make a decision to engage God honestly. Generally we take time to engage in every other worldly pursuit besides the Lord. Whether it be sports, work, school, friends - there always seems to be something more important on our plate than taking the time to get to know Jesus.
Rarely do we think about what can fully come out of our life if we pursue the Lord. We know if we work hard in school we can get a good gob. Or if we make time for our friends they will be there to help us out in difficult situations. But if we combined all of those things, those resources and Jesus - what then could come out of our life?
We were made for the Lord's purpose and our desires were meant to be satisfied by the Lord. We know that we aren't okay. The world isn't ok. And to fix ourselves and fix society it takes more than just self-acceptance. The world can't fix us the way that God can.
This week at Breakaway the text in Hebrews 11 was studied. In particular Hebrews 11:6 the question of "What does God want from us?" is answered. It is simple. He wants two things. The first being that we must simply believe He exists. And second He wants us to believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. God isn't looking for moral conformity. He doesn't just want us to be good people who tell the truth and are kind to others; He is looking for personal intimacy with us. He desires a relationship with each and every one of us and wants to be what fulfills our every need.
Though it is easier said than done it is the most rewarding thing you can do. When you place your hope in the Jesus instead of people of the earth or worldly things you can be completely satisfied. Because unlike your friends or family, Jesus is capable of all things; it isn't fair to ask your parents or whomever to try and do something they are destined to fail at.
We need to engage God in our daily lives. We need to strive to know Him through a personal relationship and recognize that that is all He asks of us. He knows we are going to screw up, time and time again, and He is prepared for that. He can handle everything. So we simply need to let go and let God.
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