Because we don’t live our lives going from retreat after retreat and mission trip after mission trip.

7-11 min read

This post was written by guest contributor Jessica Atmadja. You can find her on Instagram and YouTube. She shares her testimony in this video.

Sometimes, life feels like it’s going in slow motion. Other times, I feel that I’ve pressed the fast-forward button. I wonder, is there ever a moment in-between? But no matter what we feel, there is no rewind or stop button. Life never stops.

People might say that only death and taxes are certain, but I know that my certainty is placed in God. I trust that God is walking with us in every step of the way. However, from time to time, I struggle to feel His presence. I wonder, am I a bad believer for feeling this way? 

Over the years, my journey with God has been and is a total roller coaster. When the highs are high, I’m good. But, I must admit that I have, at one point, reached my lowest lows. I’m sure that almost every Christian has felt the spiritual high after coming back from a retreat or a mission trip, but also the lows when you truly question the existence of God. In both those situations, your mind is swimming in God-related thoughts, but we don’t live our lives going from retreat after retreat and mission trip after mission trip.

In both those situations, your mind is swimming in God-related thoughts, but we don’t live our lives going from retreat after retreat and mission trip after mission trip.

What about the moments in-between? During the school year, I find myself constantly occupied by academics, sports, and other extracurriculars. Life has pressed the fast-forward button, where I’m constantly going from one field hockey practice to planning events for a club to cramming for a math test. It’s already overwhelming to be juggling eight different things at once, so it feels difficult to make space for God, let alone grow spiritually. If only I had more time in the day, then I can definitely make space for God. 

If only I had more time in the day, then I can definitely make space for God. 

Then, as shelter-in-place was installed, my time freed up significantly, but I still found it challenging to fit God into my glaringly empty schedule. I felt conflicted. I thought that if I had more time in the day, I could spend more time with God. Now, I have all the time in the world but I still find it to be a struggle. How is this possible? I’m fully aware that I’m not at the peak of my relationship with God, yet I don’t doubt He is there. 

I couldn’t figure out what to do until it came up during my small group discussion. We are always asking, “How do I fit God into my busy schedule?”, like I’ve been doing. Rather, we should really be asking, “How can I include God in every aspect of my life?” By rephrasing the question, I’ve been able to reflect and discover ways for me to rekindle my relationship with God. 

We are always asking, “How do I fit God into my busy schedule?”, like I’ve been doing. Rather, we should really be asking, “How can I include God in every aspect of my life?”

Below are five ways to strengthen your faith: 

1. Keep a prayer journal

I have always kept a routine of praying before eating and sleeping, but I noticed my prayers have not changed since elementary school. It feels oddly robotic – I have it memorized and I simply recite it everyday.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I want to share more with God. Verbal communication isn’t exactly my strong suit, so I’ve learned that writing down my prayers works for me. At first, I was a little hesitant. But once I started, I found myself opening up to God in ways I wasn’t able to when I was praying out loud. I have set a time each day to write and find this method of communication very comforting.

Here is a link to a cute prayer journal if you don’t want to make your own!

2. Dedicate a time that works for you to read the Bible

As Christians, we are told to meditate on the words of God, but it’s hard to bring myself to sit down and start reading. I used to read before going to bed, but lately, I’ve found myself too tired to read.

I tell myself that I’ll do it tomorrow, but you already know how that plays out (let’s be honest here!). Recently, I moved my reading time to the middle of the day and I’m able to focus and reflect on God’s words during this time. I find it so important to choose a time that works for you and your schedule. It does wonders!

3. Have an accountability partner 

The Bible calls for us to have fellowship with one another. Not only can we have that sense of community, but it also helps us grow in Christ. I find that my small group keeps me accountable for consistently going to church. When I have to miss church for any reason, it’s always nice to receive messages saying I’ve been missed with a quick recap of the sermon.

For things outside of attendance, I have a close friend that keeps me accountable for my personal relationship with Christ. In times where my actions do not reflect God’s image, she would remind me that as Christians, we are held to certain standards. And I think that’s the form of accountability we need – some tough love from time to time.

4. Doing daily devotions

Discussing devotions with a friend or group really helps with my understanding of the Bible. What’s great about devotionals is that it’s not solely reading the Bible and the topics cover things applicable to our daily life. The discussions build fellowship as we bond over shared struggles and learn how to overcome them.

Here are some online daily devotions you can do.

5. Listening to worship music

For the longest time, Christian music has been my go-to choice. My car radio is always tuned to K-Love and I like listening to it while I work. While I’m not always focused on the music, bits and pieces of the songs catch my attention.

I feel that they are small reminders that God loves me despite my imperfections. Honestly, I can never stay in a bad mood when I’m listening to worship music. I find that I eventually get into my “head-bobbing praise the Lord” mood! IYKYK, amirite?

Below is a Spotify playlist I curated so you can listen to some sweet worship jams!

I hope that these 5 ways allow you to strengthen your faith too. What other ways do you strengthen your faith?

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