For those of you who may not know, I am Lutheran. I grew up
going to church on Sundays mornings, Wednesday nights in Lent, and every
special occasion. I went through Sunday school, confirmation, and senior high
youth group. Personally, I always felt like I was sort of forced to go and
pushed into being religious. It wasn’t until I moved away from home that I
started to find my place in my faith life. Once I had the option not to go to
church every single Sunday, I just stopped going for a few months. I usually
worked Sunday mornings, and if I wasn’t working I was too tired or lazy to get
out of bed.
Gradually, I began to miss that part of my life and the
people that had become so familiar to me over the years. Without really
realizing it, I had become part of a family at my church, and that wasn’t
something I was ready to let go of just yet. So I started going every other
Sunday or so and reading the Bible a little more. I like to find verses or
stories that best help me deal with whatever is troubling me in my life at the
moment.
In my younger years, I never really understood what it meant
to feel God’s presence and truly know that He is with you. Then I went to work
camp in Rochester, Indiana in 2013. After worship one night, everyone was super
emotional and some people hung back to reflect. It was then, crying on the cold
gym floor, that I heard God’s voice for the first time. I don’t even remember
what He said. All I remember is a feeling of relief and reassurance. I knew
that no matter how hard things got for me from that moment on, He would be
there to make sure I’m okay.
Whenever I start to doubt my faith or wonder why I believe
what I believe, I think back to that moment. I may not go to church every
Sunday and pray all the time, but it’s not the external things that matter; it’s
what you feel inside.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this, it’s that
you can’t force people into religion. It’s just not for everyone. If you push
them too far, you may end up making them resent it in the end. Ultimately, if
they aren’t open in their mind and heart to receiving it, they won’t get
anything out of it.
