A Fresh Start

I don't know about everyone else, but sometimes I got through times where my faith gets stagnant. It's easy for it to happen. Rather than seeking a fresh encounter with God we opt for routine. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about spiritual discipline and having specific times to pray and read the Word. But I think the problem is that eventually we stop seeking to have an encounter with Jesus and take it as a time to read. All of the sudden, the Bible becomes a story that's fun to read rather than a lamp unto our feet.

This past weekend, my lovely wife took me to the Jeremy Camp, Carlos Whitaker, and John Mark McMillan concert at Rock Church in Va Beach. What was really cool was that we got into a special sit down with all three of them. They shared things that they had been learning and doing. I really came away with a sense that I hadn't been seeking a fresh encounter with Jesus. I had traded worship for consistency.

Truthfully, I could have just gone to a concert of just John Mark. It's not that Carlos Whitaker and Jeremy Camp were bad, it's that John Mark's set was so honest and raw that I could have never connected with him like I did John Mark. The next day when I was describing the concert to anyone who'd listen I said that, "I sang less and worshiped more than I had in a long time."

I would dare say that it was the most powerful time of worship I've ever had. Top 3 at the least.

For those of us out there who have been struggling or finding ourselves stagnant, here is your call to arms. Don't settle for anything less than the fullness of God. Change your routine. Pray more, pray harder.