Remember when you were young and Summer was coming to an end? You started to get prepared for the new school year; new backpack, school clothes, supplies, etc. If you were in Jr. High or Sr. High School you would go up to the school a few weeks before and get your schedules. You normally planned to meet up with friends to see what everyone's schedules looked like. Planned outfits for the first week and talked about everything. Then along came "First Days of School Eve"; you sit your clothes out perfectly down to under garments, you load your backpack, make sure you and your friends have a plan to meet up somewhere before the bell rings, you can't sleep, you're full of anxiety and excitement and everything else. You get to school and see you friends and parade around in new clothes like you're walking down the catwalk. There's laughs, people joking around, jocks prepping for practice, so much chatter and business until the bell rings. You go to your classes finish the day and then go home. The further into the school year you get, the more the newness and excitement wears off and now you have troubl waking up and you have no motivation to get homework done (except the threat of a beat down from your parents). You and your fiends start gowing apart a little because everyone is into different things. Some are athletic, some are bookworms, some are "mr or mrs popular", and you seem to have become a bit of a loner. So you decide not to care and just fall under the radar. Building up resentment towards people because they are, seemingly, happier than you are.
As believers, this is what tends to happen when we decide to become too religious or over saved. When we choose not to allow a mentor into our lives. When we choose to be the "perfect" Christian and condemn others around us for the very things we used to do ourselves. The word of God says the we are not to juge unless we will be judged ourselves. Please understand that you are not alone in feelin this way. You get saved and you do the "hallelujah and Amen" dance for a few months (if that) and then you slowly fade away. You don't feel like getting up for church. You hit snooze instead of getting up to pray, you would rather talk about a brother or sister in the church instead of praying for them. Eventually, you just stop going all together and figure you can do it on your own...until you can't.
Now I'm not saying that you're going to hell if you miss a bible study or church event once in a while. But I am saying that if you have a choice to prioitize, you should always prioritize God in your life. It's so much easier to push God to the side and deal with things of the world. Duh, satan wants you to fall and he is lord over things of this world so of course they are going to be way more glittery with flashing lights to appeal to your flesh. But if you take the road less traveled and yield to the word of God, I promise you won't miss out on a thing. Worldly possessions are instat gratification, but God's word and His inheritence is eternal.
So while it does take some work to maintain a relationship in the word, know that it is well rewarded. We are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus. God has promised that we shall eat of the good of the land and inherit the kingdom...as long as we follow Him and obey his commandments. Trust me when I say the world is not all its cracked up to be. Instant gratification is not worth it...Eat of the good of the Land for eternity!
