I was frustrated the other night and I needed some encouragement so I thought I would look at some of my favorite Christian blogs and try to get a spark.
I did not get a spark.
I ended up just feeling more frustrated because nothing was resounding with me, and that made me feel alone and that always stinks, so I was pretty annoyed. But I kept going. I thought, these are blogs I have bookmarked, people I have related to in the past — why are they sounding so hollow, so heretical even? I kept scrolling down to look at titles or topics that might ignite something in me. I wasn’t even sure what I was looking for, I just was half bored and half bummed. Have you ever felt that way?
I read a blog on the Pope, then I read one on prayer and I read one on turning 40. Blah, Blah, Blah. And now it’s 1am and I can add tired to frustrated, annoyed, bored and bummed.
Then it hit me. I am barking up the wrong tree. (although barking is cool. check out ‘the faith of my dog’)
When I am annoyed, bummed, bored, frustrated or in need of a spark I should not be looking at blogs, even if they are Christian blogs. I should be reading the Bible. And so should you. As much as I appreciate the time you are spending right now on this page, I have no real answers for you. All I can do is tell you about some stuff going on with me, and what I learn from it, and how it informs my faith or how my faith informs it. I do promise to always turn both of us back to Jesus Christ and to scripture, purposely, because that’s where we both should have been in the first place.
Jeremiah 33:3 is one of my favorite verses on this, because God says ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ That pretty much covers everything. No need to look elsewhere.
And I will ask a small favor of you. If I ever get to the point where I am peddling garbage here, please comment the stuffing out of me. Remind me that I am a fool and a sinner in need of grace. Because some of these bloggers have forgotten it. Some seem to have actually renounced it. I never want to go there. I know that Jesus is everything. To live is Christ and to die is gain. Honestly, I really do know that from my life story so far. And I am very happy to share that story with you if it helps you feel less alone, less frustrated by your own stuff or even less bored. But I can’t ever replace scripture in your life. I don’t want to try.
Go read your Bible right now.
May I suggest you think about joining our Bible study? After all, that’s what Study With Friends is really all about: study of the Bible. This blog is an outcropping of that, and we love the community it builds, but it’s not meant to replace the Living Word. God intends to meet you on the pages of HIS Word. Let’s make sure that’s the first place we both go, every day, without fail.
Then we can read some blogs too, if we have time. But we might not. God is cool like that. Give Him a little of you and He’ll fill your heart and all your spare time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Leave a Reply