by Ashley Peterson
A youth pastor spoke at my schools chapel recently that used to be a youth pastor in a large church. He said he used to love to watch movies, and hated to spend time alone with God. He used to crave the times when he could worship with other people, and he used to love the typical southern “church scene.” Now, four months later, he said that he was changed. He craves the times when he can lie, face down, in prayer and worship in his “prayer closet.” Instead of craving the church life, he craves Christ first and foremost. He does not care about movies anymore, whereas before he used to love them and almost live for them. You could say he would even fight for one in a debate. There comes a point, a level, in one’s spiritual growth that deeply uncovers the world. All the person sees is the evilness, the ugliness, the emptiness, the world is and what the world has to offer. But up to that point the Christian doesn’t see it fully. We cannot fully grasp it until we sincerely jump into His Word and wholeheartedly love Him for who He is.
I can’t enjoy most movies anymore. I can’t read most books. I admit I don’t see any point in reading fiction books or non-fiction unless they are written for the soul purpose of strengthening one’s spiritual life and relationship with God. I used to love secular music. As a singer and musician, I sought after any music that would help me grow musically and lyrically. Many times, I would realize the songs I was singing definitely did not pertain to me whatsoever. I knew the only music that truly helped me was worship and select Christian groups that had one purpose, and that was to serve God and bring glory to Him faithfully. God revealed to me why He did not want me to listen to secular music anymore. I took secular music out of my music selection and a few months later, I tried to listen to secular music again. As a result, I could not listen to the music in the same way. All I saw was the emptiness it held and the cheapness it represented. Since then, I have been blessed with leading worship and singing more solos in my church that have blessed many more people than they had previously. My family noticed an improved attitude change, a restored desire to read The Word, and a new passion for (surprising) silent worship.
If we give up what the things of this world offer for the promises and love of God we will be blessed. God wants to see His children succeed and live righteously in His will. All we have to do is give Him time in His presence and He will reveal Himself to us. He will tell us or show us what we need to get rid of, what we need to throw away in our lives. If our hearts are open and we long for nothing else than His presence we will want nothing else in this world than to glorify God and become Holy, pure, just, true, a light, and a warrior for Christ.
Be the first to comment