Figuring out Faith in College.
If the first several weeks of college have taught me anything, it would be this: living the day to day will never allow me to ‘have time’ for my faith. Whether my classes are online, in-person, or a mix of the two, I can look at my schedule and see all the homework I have. I almost constantly have people around me and events that I should be attending, and clubs that I should be signed up for and groups that I should be involved with. And then, somewhere in between all of that, I should be studying, picking up a minor and sleeping. Suddenly, church is out of the picture because “there’s no time.” And reading the Bible? … “Maybe after all the homework.” And forming community with other believers? “I’m already having a hard enough time making friends on campus”… And before I can blink, I simply feel distant. Where do I even start now?
Maybe you’re attending a Christian School where you have a built- in, faith community and required church attendance. And what an amazing gift that might be for you! But maybe you still feel dry in your faith. Dry. That is exactly how I would describe where I am right now. Of course, I have had huge amounts of adjustment to do. However, I know without a doubt, that I have let myself slip away from what fills my soul; being close to Christ. Being close to Him, singing His love over me. Being close to other people, who point me towards what His will would be in my life. Simple, deep and authentic nearness with God.
Your individual walk with God. How is it? Maybe you really dug deep during quarantine, trying to walk further into a relationship with Christ. Or maybe you've been feeling distant for some time now. How are we doing, now that deadlines are strewn everywhere and exams are overlapping? If you too feel dry, I want to tell you that you are not alone. God is so vitally present and just starting is a source of revival.
James 4:8 can be read as a condemning mandate. However, if we read it with (1) our brokenness in mind and (2) God’s overwhelming grace in mind (which dissolves all brokenness), I believe the verse serves as a compass of sorts, reminding us of the fulfillment found in knowing Christ. → Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. Notice, it FIRST says to draw near to God and He will draw near to you. No precondition. No preliminary fixing. First, you draw near. Then, comes spiritual growth; equally important and present, but distinctly second. If we first have a foundational relationship with God, then we know that God desires the cleansing and purifying to push us deeper into who we were created to be in Him.
An example of growth, resulting from relationship with God, is the Psalm 1 person/tree.
The beginning of Psalm 1 tells us, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does he prospers.”
The definition of council is: discussion and advice. From where and whom do I get my deepest counsel? Am I walking in the counsel of the wicked? Am I placing myself in situations where I am filling myself with sin, rather than being pushed to seek righteousness? How am I treating others? With ‘scoffing’ disdain, or love? Or instead am I meditating day and night on what God is speaking over me? Psalms clearly tells us that seeking and being and searching fully for Christ makes us strong, rooted, grounded and provided for.
The tree described here is planted, specifically where it is- by a source of lasting strength. Being rooted in Christ will require us to plant ourselves in strategic places. When it comes to college, we have ample opportunity to forget about church and community all together. But we will inevitably plant ourselves somewhere… whether that be in situations that revive and fill us with a desire to know and seek Jesus, or in situations that batter and attack our faith. Challenge does of course make our faith grow - James 1:2 tells us to “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” But I would submit, that challenge is different from choosing to be filled with empty sources that do not give life.
The tree yields its fruit in season. The tree draws from the stream without an agenda and a schedule of events. It produces, in season. I find it so encouraging to know that I may not see the fruit of seeking Christ in this immediate time frame. I will yield the fruit of overflowing with Christ when that season comes. And just as trees, naturally and without strain, produce their fruit as an outward display of their inner abundance of health, I want to produce the fruit of walking with Jeusus, naturally and without strain; I want the fruit of The Spirit to be the natural outflow of my life. The tree’s purpose is to rest in the abundance of Christ, in the moment.
The tree, as a result of being planted by the stream and producing in season, does not wither. Instead, the tree prospers. But notice, the prosperity of the tree comes after walking in wise council, standing in the way of the righteous, sitting in a posture of love towards others, and meditating day and night on the law of the Lord.
I find that this is a nice list to read, but is a very difficult list to do. It would be stupid of me to pretend that I can right now, go out and put myself in uplifting groups/places, seek Christ in the present season and instantly love others perfectly… If we want to grow, where do we start?
I think the most beautiful aspect of desiring to awaken and grow and deepen our faith is this: we will be equipped. If we are asking for and desiring to have hearts that seek Christ, we will be equipped. Jeremiah 24:7 says, “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” The context of this verse is referring to a group of people who were in exile. While God did not immediately remove them from their difficult season (He had other, long term plans), God provided these people with hearts to know Him. When we ask for our hearts and and our faith to be constantly renewed, God is faithful to be the refreshing planter of hearts to know Him; be ready for growth!
