I was working on another blog, but I felt God tell me to stop working on that one and write this one now. So here it is…
Depth. A word that holds a lot of meaning to me these days. I’ve mentioned it in previous blog posts (https://carolinejenkins.theworldrace.org/post/i-dont-have-a-testimony), but just in case you missed those – back in June I was at training camp for the World Race. During one of the worship sessions, Carson, one of our squad leaders, came up to me and told me that while she was praying for me, she got the word “depth”. There was a lot more to it, but that’s what matters for this blog. What’s funny about her getting the word “depth” for me was that I had been praying all morning about how to do deeper with God and how to have a personal relationship with Him. Ask and you shall receive, people.
Since June I’ve been going deep. Or at least trying to. Depth is hard when you’ve spent you’re entire life living in the shallow (Cue “A Star is Born” soundtrack). I’ve been having to relearn what it looks like to have depth with Jesus. And not just Jesus. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Guys, they are three separate entities, while being three in one. That’s confusing as HECK to me.
I used to see the Trinity as one. Because they are one. But they aren’t really one. But they actually are. But they aren’t. But they are. This could go on, but that’s another blog.
Back to depth. I feel like God is specifically asking me to write this blog, so this what I think He’s wanting me to get across: knowing Jesus is more than calling yourself a Christian, knowing who Jesus is, or doing the right things, or having unlimited Biblical knowledge.
We are able to have a relationship with Jesus, a real, personal, deep relationship. If you read my testimony blog, then you know I have spent around 22 years calling myself a Christian and doing the “right” thing and thinking that’s what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus. But WOW was I SO FAR from the truth.
I’ve come to realize how dangerous it can be growing up knowing who Jesus is. You can become so numb to the awe and wonder of our Lord! I know I did. If your relationship with Christ is going to church on Sundays, maybe opening your Bible at some point throughout the week, and praying every once in a while (or just out of habit), let me tell you – there is so much more for you! He is so much more than that. He wants to know you and He wants you to know Him. (Just want to clarify that I’m not shaming anyone who relates to this, because this was me for literally forever, I’m also not saying that you are not a Christian, I just want you to know there is more for you.)
I can’t tell you how much has changed for me since this shift in my mindset. God is so amazing and He talks to me. I never thought I’d say that. I talk to God and He talks back. Do I literally hear His voice? Not usually, but I have once. The way I usually hear His voice is through my thoughts. I can tell when it’s Him directing my thoughts, because it’s not something I would say or think and I choose to have the faith that it is God (there are also ways to test if something is from God or the enemy – this is important!).
All this to say: Jesus wants us to go deep. He wants us to talk to Him and He wants to talk with us. Take time to sit and listen for His voice. It might be weird at first, but try it! Maybe connecting to Jesus doesn’t look like sitting in silence, maybe it looks like spending time in His word. Maybe it looks like taking a walk through nature. Maybe it looks like journaling. Everyone’s connection and walk is different, but GO DEEP. I dare you!
