“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Long serving and new believers alike can reach a point in their relationship with God where they ask, “Is there more?” Scripture tells us that we are wonderfully made and that God has a purpose for our lives, but sometimes we feel like we are in a rut and question whether we are doing the relationship thing correctly. We want more and wanting more is good because we are asked to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind. If we do not want more, then we are in a deeper rut than we thought we were. However, before we set out to find that “more”, perhaps we need to start by asking ourselves why we want more and what “more” looks like.
All believers can, and should, engage in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, reading and studying Scripture, worship and fellowship. However, these activities do not make us better Christians. There are no levels of Christianity with God; you are either a believer or you are not. Practicing the disciplines enhances our knowledge and awareness of God, thereby helping us with the “more”. Our relationship with God is significantly interactive, and so if we want more, maybe we need to get off our knees and seek Him. We may need to start something new to experience something different.
We all need to discover ways to love God. God has wired each of us differently, and therefore, we often express ourselves in a manner unique to our nature. We can mimic the methods and thoughts of others, but we will likely fall short of their achievements. We read in Scripture that when we are connected with the Holy Spirit, we can love God differently, as we become the Spirit’s conduit for love, the temple for the Holy Spirit to change us. Is it possible that the first step in our new beginning is to go back to the basics? Should we ask for assistance from the Helper, that Jesus says, will help us and be with us forever (John 14:16). Peter tells us that when we repent and are baptized, we are given the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), and so we can draw on Him to connect us to the Father.
New believers often experience a euphoric sensation when they first encounter Jesus, and it can be challenging to sustain that passion on their own. Is it possible that, as we try to build a bond with God based on our capabilities, a feeling or a desire for more overcomes us? We have wonderful pastors, priests and teachers who can guide us along our journey with God, but they cannot satisfy the emptiness that we can feel when we sense we need more. We must individually decide to find that more, and the great news is that we are assured that the Holy Spirit can help. Prayer is a good starting point for any new beginning as it links us to God’s heart. The Holy Spirit can clarify and enhance our prayers that we send to God; let’s use the gift we are given to do something new.
Seek God. Trust God. Connect with God. Pray.