Part 1: Believe Again
Scripture
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Devotional Thought
What is your connectioin to church? Has it changed over the years? Is there such a thing as too involved in church? For a long time, my entire life revolved around my connection to my local church. Then, at the age of 30, when I appeared to be successfully leading in ministry, I gave up all that I had worked so hard to achieve to explore life on the other side of my religious comfort zone. The lessons I learned during that time are guiding me today, and will also be helpful to you.
As a kid, I grew up on, and sometimes under, the pews of churches. Once I had a driver’s license, I was at church more than anyone in our family – like, more than everyone else combined.
Eventually, after working at the church part-time in high school and college, volunteering 20 hours a week or more, I was rewarded with a full-time staff position in the youth ministry. I threw myself into my role with abandon. This all came with a price tag I was unaware of at the time. Seven years later, everything appeared fine on the outside, but I was burned out exhausted, and depressed. What went wrong?
Knowing you need to make a change might be clear. I have had countless conversations with people who were once eager beavers of faith that have ended up burned out, hurt, and confused. Others may be unaware of how much you need to make a change. Either way, I want to encourage you to believe again. To believe again means to discover a fresh perspective on the Christian faith, find hope in difficult times, and learn to trust God one day at a time.
I wrote this devotional to help you on that journey. Let’s get started.
Reflection
What does Paul mean in Romans 12:2 when he said to renew your mind?
Why is it imperative to believe again in light of Romans 12:2?
Where do you think your need to believe again comes from? Is it because you are burned out, zealous but frustrated in some ways, going through a difficult time that raises doubts, have questions about grace, or have been hurt by someone claiming to speak or act on behalf of God?
